When considering lip piercing, you should be aware of the risks that you may encounter while wearing lip ring. To avoid the most common risks of a lip ring piercing, book an appointment with a professional piercer to discuss your desire to get one. Ask about the healing process, and how you can avoid damage to your teeth and gums while wearing a lip ring.
Chipping and Cracking
When you initially receive a lip piercing, your piercer inserts a lip ring that is larger in diameter or longer in length than necessary in case your lip swells during the first few weeks of healing. Your piercer will inform you that you must return to the piercing shop to remove and replace the large jewelry to prevent damage to your teeth and gums after your swelling has ceased. If you make the decision to wear the larger jewelry, damage to your teeth and gums is inevitable.
Longer or larger jewelry moves constantly--instead of sitting snug against your lip--and gets caught in between your teeth while chewing, causing a crack or chip in your tooth. The initial lip jewelry is made from implant grade steel, titanium or niobium that can damage tooth enamel.
If you choose to wear jewelry that is too large for your lip piercing, inserting a softer type of jewelry, such as acrylic or PTFE can prevent chips or cracks in your teeth, according to the Association of Professional Piercers.
Gum Line Recession
If a piercer places your lip piercing in the incorrect location for your anatomy or you wear flat back jewelry that is too long for your piercing channel, recession of your gums can occur. The damage to your gum line occurs as the jewelry rubs or sits against your gum line when you make facial expressions, talk or chew. A skin graft to replace and fix your gum line is an expensive procedure performed by your dentist. Wear appropriate jewelry and allow only a professional piercer to pierce your lip to avoid gum recession from your lip ring.
Loss of Enamel
Chewing on or playing with your teeth jewelry in your mouth can cause you to lose enamel on the front and back of your teeth. Loss of enamel can cause extreme pain or sensitivity in your mouth and requires immediate removal of the lip ring. Tooth enamel will not regenerate and enamel loss can only be fixed by a dentist, according to the American Dental Association.
Frenulum Damage
The frenulum, at the base of the inside of your mouth, is a string-like piece of tissue that connects the inside of your lip to the bottom of your gum line. If a piercer places your lip or labret stud too low underneath your lip, the jewelry can cause damage to your frenulum and lower part of your gum line. The disk on the back of the jewelry will rub against your frenulum causing soreness, swelling or cuts. Piercers who have an educational background in anatomy and have safe piercing practices will avoid dangerous placement of your lip ring.
