Going to the dentist can be quite a tedious task, especially for those of us who have oral piercings. Most of us with oral piercings, whether that be cheeks, lips or tongue piercings have definitely either been berated by the dentist for having oral piercings, or been heavily recommended to take them out, or worse, wear plastic instead. This is because of the risk of gum and tooth damage, as well as plaque build up that is associated with oral piercings. In this blog, I’m going to detail how to make your appointment run a bit smoother (and maybe even impress your dentist with your knowledge).
Jestrum, Lower Central Labret,
Paired Lower + Upper Lips,
A pair of Cheek Piercings,
a single tongue piercings.
The easiest way to make your appointment go smoother you are aware and knowledgeable about the risks of oral piercings. It’s really important (even without going to the dentist) that you are aware that oral piercings can cause tooth damage and gum recession. The best way to minimise the impact is to have a thorough discussion with your piercer, make sure they are appropriately placed for your bite (for example, lip piercings being pressed against the line between your gum and tooth) and making sure your jewellery is well fitted and downsized. You may find that wearing different styles of jewellery works better for the natural movement of your mouth.
For example, I prefer wearing rings in my paired lower lip piercings as I’m less likely to catch them on my teeth when talking and eating.
It’s also imperative that you do not play with your jewellery. Biting, chewing or moving your jewellery with your teeth is one of the quickest ways to chip your teeth. Another crucial fact to know about oral piercings is that they can contribute to plaque and tartar build up, both on the teeth but also around the jewellery itself. Brushing your teeth 2-3 times a day, flossing regularly, mouth washing/rinsing, and brushing/cleaning your jewellery daily is important in maintaining healthy teeth, gums and piercings!
Having a quick conversation with your dentist that you are aware of the risks, but are doing everything you can to effectively control the damage is an easy way to make your appointment run smoothly without feeling like you’ve been told off. It’s also important to maintain a healthy relationship with your dentist to ensure future appointments can be a positive experience for both of you! You want to speak assuredly but without wanting to come across “confrontational”. You can say things like “As far as I am currently aware everything is fine, but please do tell me if anything changes” or “I have had these piercings for ‘X amount of time’ and have yet had an issue due to the precautions I take, but if I can do anything else please let me know”.
Vertical lip piercings, where the jewellery doesn’t enter into the mouth, are great piercings for completely minimising the risk of gum and tooth damage.
Some dentists may suggest or sometimes heavily recommend that you swap your jewellery to plastic. If this happens, it’s important to know and mention that you are wearing high quality metal (if you are), and knowing what that metal is. Most people wearing high quality jewellery will be wearing an Implant Grade Titanium ASTM-F 136 (this is the most common, but always ask your piercer for confirmation. Other implant grades do exist.) This specific grade of titanium is bio-compatible (meaning it is safe to be worn in the body for long periods of time, and is often the same grade of metal used for both dental and medical implants.
At Rogue, we don’t stock or sell plastic jewellery, or recommend wearing plastic jewellery. With all jewellery style options there are good and bad options. We actually have a whole blog on materials, specifically about plastic. I’d highly recommend giving it a read to further broaden your knowledge.
There are other benefits of wearing Implant-Grade titanium for your dentist appointment besides bio-compatibility. Actual implant-grade titanium is safe to be worn in MRI’s and X-ray machines. By providing this knowledge you can ask to try the imaging with your jewellery in, and offer to take them out if it does provide a problem.
It’s really important that you are able to advocate for yourself and your piercings in professional medical settings such as the dentist, or the doctors. Know your facts, stress the importance of your piercings as well as how well you look after them. Be polite too, and try and work with your dentist. Mind a middle ground. It’s important to remember that your teeth and gums are always going to come first to your dentist. It’s their job to care about it. That doesn’t mean you can’t work together!
Wearing safe and high quality jewellery is always going to be important. If you would like help upgrading your existing piercings, you can always book in for a piercing consultation with a member of our expert team. We can guide you through the whole process, making it quick and easy to get yourself to a comfortable, safe jewellery collection in no time! Choosing new jewellery might feel overwhelming if you try and do it alone. Working with a high quality piercing studio makes it so much easier to get exactly what you’re looking for.
