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Lip piercing linked to shrinking gums, disease and tooth loss

Lip piercings can make gums shrink, causing people to lose otherwise healthy teeth, as per a US study was found.
Ohio State University researchers found that the longer people wore piercings, the more their gums receded and the bigger their chance of suffering gum disease and tooth loss.

The study of 58 young adults found that those who had a stud in the middle of the bottom lip where it met the chin were most at risk of receding gums because the stud rubbed against the gum.

About 40 per cent of people with this type of piercing had receding gums in their bottom front teeth, rising in 80 per cent of people who had the piercing for more than three years.

While good brushing and oral hygiene helped reduce the risk of infection from piercings, people could not avoid the stud rubbing against their gum line.

The researchers said that when the gums receded, they crept down the teeth, exposing the roots and making teeth sensitive to cold tempretatures and more prone to cavities.

The study findings follow a 2003 British Dental Association report which found that the tounge piercings could also damage gums and cause life-threatening infections.

The Australian Dental Association said piercings could result in serious problems, such as trauma to teeth from constant hitting with a metal object and exposed nerves.