October 12, 2021

Dentistry for Adolescents

Is Tongue Piercing Really Cool?

Although seeing people with pierced tongues, lips, or cheeks is no longer surprising, you may be astonished to learn how harmful these piercings may be.

Chipped or fractured teeth, blood clots, blood poisoning, heart infections, brain abscess, nerve abnormalities (trigeminal neuralgia), receding gums, or scar tissue are all hazards associated with oral piercings.

Infection is a typical complication of oral piercing since your mouth contains millions of microorganisms. Your tongue could enlarge to the point where it blocks your airway!

Pain, edema, infection, increased saliva production, and gum tissue injuries are all common post-piercing symptoms. If a blood vessel or nerve bundle is in the needle’s path, it might cause difficult-to-control bleeding or nerve injury.

So, as advised by the American Dental Association, take a break from the mouth jewelry and give your mouth a rest.

Tobacco is a bad habit to have. In whatever shape or form Tobacco, in any form, can put your child’s health in jeopardy and cause irreversible harm. Teach your child about tobacco’s risks.

Teens who assume that spit, chew, or snuff is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes frequently use smokeless tobacco.

This is a common misunderstanding.

According to studies, spit tobacco is more addictive than cigarettes and is more difficult to quit.

Teens who use it should be aware that one can of snuff has the same amount of nicotine as 60 cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco usage can induce periodontal disease and pre-cancerous lesions called leukoplakias in as little as three to four months.

If your child smokes, keep an eye out for the following symptoms, which could be early signs of mouth cancer:

A persistent sore that refuses to heal.
On the lips and on or under the tongue, there are white or red leathery patches.
Anywhere in the mouth or lips, there is pain, discomfort, or numbness.
Chewing, swallowing, speaking, or moving the jaw or tongue becomes difficult; or the way the teeth fit together changes.

People typically disregard the early indicators of mouth cancer because they are not unpleasant.

Oral cancer, if not detected early, can necessitate significant and sometimes disfiguring surgery. Worse, it has the potential to kill.

Assist your youngster in avoiding all forms of cigarettes. They will avoid bringing cancer-causing chemicals into direct touch with their tongue, gums, and cheek as a result of doing so.