If your home has one or more teenagers, you face parenting challenges on a daily basis. Emotions run high, arguments erupt over the smallest of provocations, and bitter disputes over personal behavior and appearance can smolder for years. And while it is important to allow your teenagers to express their individuality and experiment with the way they represent themselves to the world, exceptions must be made when your child may be putting their health at risk. As a leader in family dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and dental surgery across Waconia, Carver, and Victoria, Kruckman Family Dentistry would like to caution you against letting your teenager getting their tongue pierced. Here’s why.

Risk Of Infection

After the tongue is pierced, it requires up to a month to heal. During this time, pathogens have lots of opportunities to create a serious infection that could even lead to amputation of part or all of the tongue.

Receding Gum Lines

Metal from a tongue piercing can have detrimental effects on the soft tissues in the mouth, which can in turn lead to increased risk for infection and tooth decay. If you don’t want to pay a bill for periodontal therapy, discourage your kid against getting a tongue piercing.

Chipped Teeth

As bad as a tongue piercing is for the gums and soft tissue, it is even worse for the teeth. The constant motion of a metal piercing against the back of the teeth can cause chipping and wearing down of enamel. If the damage is sustained over a period of years, dental surgery or other unpleasant procedures may be needed to correct it.