My mother once told me something that has always stuck with me. She said that ‘youth is wasted on the young’. I’m not sure where she got this from, but it had me thinking. The growing experience is supposed to be filled with challenges and obstacles that need to be overcome, in order to appreciate the new status you’re currently at. Now, this doesn’t mean that life should be a struggle to endure on a daily basis, or that you need to go through hardships to have a more rewarding life. I think it means that young people sometimes make mistakes that they regret and for the most part, with age comes wisdom.
Getting a piercing or tattoo can sometimes be viewed as a mistake (if they are done hastily and without much forethought). A piercing especially can sometimes pose another set of obstacles, if the location is in the mouth.
Some dentists have seen the implications that tongue rings have on overall mouth health. If a bar or stud piercing is placed in the tongue and is constantly played with, cracked teeth and receding gums have been seen as a result. In the most severe cases infections and permanent nerve damage can also occur.
This shouldn’t deter you from getting any type of piercing, but perhaps you’ll think twice about the type of ring, bar or stud you put in your mouth; one that will have the least amount of negative long term affects for your mouth.
If you are someone with a mouth piercing and are concerned with what could happen to your teeth and gums over time, make sure to consult with an Ottawa dental professional.