Seattle's Best Cosmetic Dentist :: Seattle, Washington

Seattle's Best Cosmetic Dentist

Dr. Shawn M. Keller was voted Seattle’s Best Cosmetic Dentist in Seattle Magazine by the readers in December 2006. Tongue piercing and today's teens

Body piercing, an element of so-called body art, has been noticed by bellevue dentists to have grown immensely over the last several years. This trend, seen mainly in adolescents and young adults, involves piercing of the tongue, lips, cheeks, nose, eyebrow, and the erogenous zones. Glorified in movies such as Pulp Fiction, and considered "hip" by its advocates, body piercing presents considerable dental and medical risks.

The main dangers involved with piercing are the risk of infection, metal allergy and bleeding. In fact, The National Institutes of Health has identified piercing as possible route for the transmission of hepatitis. In the case of oral piercing, the bacteria rich mouth can case an infection in the piercing site. Untreated, the infection could cause swelling to the throat, and prevent a person from breathing. Oral piercing can also cause damage to the teeth, interfere with speaking or swallowing, cause an allergic reaction, or breathing complications if the jewelry is swallowed.

The lack of training and education of the person providing the piercing increase the risk of a complication. I visited the website of The Association of Professional Piercers and was shocked by the credentials required to be a "professional" member. Their stringent requirements included: proof of working as a piercer for one year, CPR/First aid training, a business card, and the applicant's sterilization information. I had to go to 4 years of college, 4 years of dental school, pass 2 national board examinations, and pass 7 parts of a regional examination before I could use a needle without supervision!

As a doctor, I am ethically bound not to perform any treatment on a patient if I can not manage the ensuing complications. If I extract a patient's tooth and there is excessive bleeding, I have to be able to stop that bleeding. If the patient develops an infection, I have to be able to treat that infection. In the case of the "professional" piercer, they cannot treat any potential complications of their "treatment." They cannot prescribe antibiotics for infection at your seattle cosmetic dentist or kirkland dentist, they can not manage an allergic reaction to the metal, and they can not stop a person from bleeding if there is a bleeding problem.

Piercing is a popular part of our culture. Proper sterilization techniques and the use of gold jewelry can reduce the risks of infection and metal allergy. Body piercing should be approached with extreme caution, and avoided in the tongue, cheek, or lips.