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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Bad News for People with Lip Piercings

Lip piercing can significantly increase the risk of receding gums, researchers at the Ohio State University in Columbus have found. These findings of a study on a form of lip piercing that centers a stud in the lower lip, where it meets the chin, were presented earlier this month at the 83rd General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, in Baltimore.

The study was conducted on 58 participants, half with this specific type of lip piercing. Researchers found that 40 percent of people with the lip piercing had receding gum lines in their bottom front teeth, and 80 percent of the participants who had the piercing for more than 36 months suffered the same affliction. Only 7 percent of the participants who had no form of lip piercing showed signs of recession.

Because the recession of the gum line is due to continual contact with the stud on the inside of the lip, people with this type of piercing will inevitably have problems with receding gums, study author Dr. Dimitris N. Takatis told Reuters Health. Takatis said that recession puts them at risk for tooth sensitivity and susceptibility to cavities. With an uneven gum line, it also becomes more difficult to brush and clean one’s teeth, increasing the chances of plaque build-up, which could lead to long-term problems such as gingivitis.

Removing the piercing is the best solution, as there is no way to prevent gum line recession with an object constantly rubbing against the gums.

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