July 20, 2012
There may be more of a risk involved than people think, however. More than just an attempt at a fashion statement, oral piercings can lead to dental complications – and many dentists, according to a clinical report titled “Health Considerations for Oral Piercing and the Policies That Influence Them,” by Tina Stein, RDH, BS, and JoAnn D. Jordan, RDH, MS, aren’t prepared to warn their patients.
According to the article’s abstract, “Oral health care professionals should be aware of the lacking regulations of piercing studios so they can be more vigilant of oral complications that may occur.”
Some concerns of the increase in oral piercings as addressed in the report are: inadequate infection control at piercing and tattoo studios, lacking care for the client or patient after the procedure, piercing professionals who haven’t been sufficiently trained, and sterilization procedures that are not enforced.
Ms. Tina Stein: “As oral health care professionals, it is our responsibility to be proactive in educating all our patients about healthy lifestyles. Providing information about choices such as piercing is an important part of that responsibility.”
Read the PDF to learn more about the issue – and to see some stomach-turning photos of the good, the bad, and the ugly in oral piercings.
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The PDF was originally published in the Texas Dental Journal: Tex Dent J 2012;129(7):687-693. Reprinted with permission. ©2012 Texas Dental Association.
