There are many people out there that have piercings. It is often a way to express themselves and because they like how it looks. Placing a piercing in your lip can have some side effects, though.
The main side effect of lip piercing is that it can damage both the gums and the teeth. This is because the rubbing motion of the jewelry against these particular places in your mouth can cause gum recession and teeth decay.
This article explains different ways to prevent damage when having a piece of body jewelry on your lip. Find out how you can wear lip piecing without breaking teeth or damaging gums!
The Side Effects of a Lip Piercing
As mentioned above, wearing a piercing at a place in your body that is in contact with your teeth and gums can eventually cause damage.
Damaging teeth
Piercings in general are made out of hard material. This is often some kind of metal. The teeth naturally have a protective layer that keeps the quality of the teeth strong and healthy. If the teeth don’t have this protective layer, the chances of getting chips or cracks increases.
Damaging gums
Like with the teeth, the location of this particular body jewelry, also rubs against the gums. The gums will wear off, exposing more roots. This makes it easier for bacteria to get in. If the gums get infected for too long, this will hurt. If the infection is severe, then losing teeth is not uncommon.
How to Prevent lip Piercing From Damaging Teeth and Gums?
Not everyone that wears a piercing in their lip loses their teeth or damages their gums. If you want this kind of piercing but don’t want to deal with the side effects, there are a few things you can do.
Choosing softer material
There are different kinds of jewelry designed for the lips, out there. Metal is one of the most damaging to the teeth and gums. Choosing a material like plastic will cause less damage because the material is softer and won’t rub as hard.
Leave it in place
When you have a piercing in your lip playing with it often goes automatic. Either your tongue is moving it around, your lips are pushing against it, or even your fingers are playing with it. The more movement, the more it will rub. The more it rubs, the more damaged. Leaving it alone is the best thing you can do.
Choose the shape of the lip piercing wisely
Piercings come in different shapes and sizes. Not just that, also the back of the piercings differ. There are flatback piercings like the name insinuates, which is flat at the back. This will make it less harmful for the teeth and gums.
Keep the lip piercing clean
Obviously, keeping the piercing and your mouth clean will prevent damage to the teeth and gums. Brushing your teeth does the same thing. In the end, you want to make it as hard as possible for bacteria to get the chance to infect your teeth and gums.
Remove during certain activities
Taking the piercing out of your lip can be a good call if you are about to play a physical sport. For example, when you get hit on the mouth, removing the piercing won’t only stop the piercing from ripping in your lip but also from harming the teeth and gums.
You can always choose the safe way out and go for a fake piercing that you can easily remove, and it won’t matter if you wear it for short periods as the hole in your lip won’t close. Want to know more? Read our article about fake lip piercings.
Can you get lip Piercing With Braces?
The simple answer is Yes, but not without consequences.
Braces get placed to place the teeth in a straighter position. When you get a lip piercing and have braces, there is a chance that the metal will rub against the braces—causing the braces to break. Therefore, it gets recommended to wait for the braces to get removed before getting a piercing in your lip.
Can you get a lip Piercing While Pregnant?
Again, Yes, but not without consequences. That said, many-body piercers decline, placing a piercing in someone who is pregnant.
When you are pregnant, your body is working hard to create a healthy human being inside of you. This takes a lot of energy from the body, decreasing the mother’s immune system. When you get a lip piercing during this time, you risk infection. Once the infection appears, it will automatically take longer to heal.
When you are pregnant, the body can swell up everywhere, also in your lips. Placing a piercing in any part of the body at this time is therefore not advised. It is better to wait to get a body piercing until after the pregnancy is over.
Can you get a lip Piercing at 14?
Getting a lip piercing at 14 is possible.
Suppose you want to get a piercing at age 14, then most places require parents’ consent. They either have to be at the appointment or write a letter stating that they agree with the minor getting a piercing. Do your parents not approve of you getting a piercing in your lip? Then you will most likely have to wait until you are 18 years old. This is due to most places and states requiring you to be at least 18 years or older if you want to get a body piercing without parental consent.
There are a few places where you can get a piercing as a minor. Hawaii and Iowa are two examples.
Some Final Thoughts on the Side Effects of lip Piercings
After reading this article, you now know more about The Side Effects of Getting lip Piercing. However, if you take the proper precautions, there is no reason for you not to get a piercing in your lip. Hopefully, this article will guide you and prevent you from doing unnecessary harm and damage to your teeth and gums. As final words, there are some solutions you can find on Amazon for piercing aftercare, etc. Please do not take this as a recommendation, yet you can read user reviews and look for your needs.