General Dentistry 4 Kids - In Your Local Phoenix, AZ Area

Child's Dentist: Tongue Piercing Damages the Mouth

Tongue piercing carries some very serious risks. It can cause a wide range of problems, some even permanent. The pain from the piercing itself might be much more than temporary. It can actually get worse because of excessive swelling and infection and require medical treatment.

The mouth is a hard place to sterilize, so infections are common. Piercing establishments don't always maintain a sterile environment either. They are not regulated by law and many operators are not even licensed. The piercing operator might not be experienced or be thinking of your health and safety. He or she may not even know that the tongue has major blood vessels within it. If pierced in the wrong place -- bingo! You bleed badly. Excessive swelling of your tongue can even block your breathing passages.

The tongue is a breeding ground for bacteria. Piercing the tongue causes an open wound. Bathing it in antiseptic mouthwash isn't enough to kill bacteria. Without the ability to keep bacteria out, infection can develop, and lead to throbbing pain and a trip to the doctor or dentist.

Even if you get through the piercing without too much pain, swelling, or bleeding, you still run the risk of other complications. The jewelry might chip your teeth. It can damage your teeth from the inside, too, and that trauma may require an expensive root canal or crown. Over time, the jewelry can irritate your gums. Or, your fancy jewelry can go right "down the tubes" -- you might swallow or even choke on it, or have it lodge in your lungs.

Tongue Piercing Can Cause:

• Pain
• Swollen tongue
• Infection
• Severe bleeding
• Blood poisoning
• Increased saliva flow
• Gum injury
• Internal resorption (the tooth dissolves from the inside out)
• Chipping of teeth
• Tooth damage requiring crowns, root canals, or other restoration
• Delayed healing
• Allergic reactions to metals
• Choking
• Difficulty eating
• Difficulty speaking
• Life threatening diseases (for example, AIDS and hepatitis) caused from infected needles

Mouth jewelry attracts attention, sometimes the type you aren't looking for -- like dental and medical attention. Be cool. Think smart. Don't put your jewelry where your mouth is.

By Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Dental X-Rays For Your Child

Parents often question the need for dental X-rays (radiographs or films). Just as a broken bone or lung disease require a radiograph for a diagnosis, dental decay or other pathology (disease) of the oral cavity may require a radiograph for diagnosis. Tooth decay in children spreads rapidly in primary (baby) teeth.

Bitewing Radiograph(s)

These films, usually two, identify the presence of decay between the back (posterior) teeth. Decay between the teeth is called interproximal decay. By four and one-half years of age, the baby (primary) molars usually touch or contact each other. Interproximal decay can spread to the adjacent tooth if the teeth are in contact. If there are spaces between the primary molars, and there is no other evidence of decay, these films may not be necessary until later. A lack of spacing between the primary teeth predisposes a child to a much higher incidence of interproximal decay. Early detection permits your dentist to restore (repair) the tooth in less time and preserve tooth structure.

Periapical x-Ray

This film is used to examine the area around the tip of the root(s) or in between the roots. Primary teeth have long roots before they are resorbed (dissolved) by the pressure of the erupting permanent tooth. A root fracture after trauma, deep decay, infection, the need for root canal treatment, the presence of extra teeth, or absence of developing teeth are some of the findings with this film.

Occlusal Radiograph

This film evaluates the presence or absence of the upper and lower front teeth (incisors). It may also be used to diagnose fractures of teeth or bone and extra or missing teeth.

Panoramic x-Ray

Some pediatric dentists request this film around seven or eight years of age, when all eight permanent incisors have erupted. Although this not as accurate in diagnosing decay, it may provide an alternative if a child has a gag reflex that has prohibited taking a periapical or bitewing radiograph. The film is outside the mouth in a machine that revolves around the head. A view of the entire upper and lower jaw is obtained. This is commonly obtained by orthodontists prior to treatment. The panoramic radiograph may reveal or evaluate:

• Missing teeth
• Extra teeth
• Tumors, cysts, or other disease
• Improper position of teeth
• Broken bones after trauma
• Development of the permanent teeth
• Future crowding
• Wisdom teeth

Cephalometric Radiograph

This film ordinarily is obtained by an orthodontist in order to make a diagnosis of a child's bite (occlusion) and to determine the best treatment plan. It measures the relationship of the bones of the head and jaws.

Now, you are "in the know" for your child's next dental X-rays!

by Jane A. Soxman, DDS

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.