![]() Plaque formation is particularly true for people who skip brushing their teeth every so often. The dental plaque feels sticky and somewhat coarse and even becomes visible as a pale-colored layer lining the enamel of your teeth. Plaque formation is usually a result of poor oral hygiene and can easily be identified if you just run your tongue over your teeth. The chalky-white substance that results from the increased mineralization of plaque is referred to as tartar or calculus. Your saliva contains certain minerals that are readily absorbed by the bacterial plaque, giving it an increasingly hardened and calcified finish. This bacterial film that usually starts at the gumline and extends all across the surface of your teeth is referred to as plaque. If you clean your mouth improperly and continue to consume a diet rich in carbohydrates or sugar on top of that, these bacteria will proliferate and blanket your gums and teeth. These microorganisms feed on the sugars and starches found in food particles and release acidic by-products during the process, which chip away the tooth enamel over time. Growing enthusiasm of such body art makes it imperative that dermatosurgeons, oral surgeons and dental professionals go hand in hand in guiding individuals about the risks they are exposed to after intraoral piercing and to manage post-piercing complications.Your mouth is naturally populated with several strains of bacteria, both good and bad. Thrill-seeking behaviour and peer pressure maybe the driving force for extreme piercing. Piercing of oral sites carries potential high risk of infection and transmission of organisms such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, herpes simplex virus and Epstein-Barr virus. reported a case of Ludwig's angina developed secondary to tongue piercing. Apart from damage to the dentition, tongue piercings is also associated with life-threatening systemic complications. Several case reports have documented dental complications such as chipping or cracking of teeth, abrasions, localised gingival recession, hyper salivation, calculus build up on the lingual surface of the barbell and interference with swallowing, mastication and speech. It is important to underline that tongue region is at highest risk for hemorrhagic complications, because of the extensive vascularisation in the tongue. The incidence of multiple extreme piercing to make a fashion statement is mostly seen in young people below the age of 30, especially in the male population. (c) Immediate post operative view of dorsum of tongue (a) Manual digital pressure used and the foreign object is retrieved. The infection was treated with amoxycillin 500 mg tid and paracetamol for pain relief. Manual digital pressure was used from the ventral surface to define the site of the previous piercing and allow removal of the jewellery. Intraoral radiograph of the tongue showed the barbell embedded inside the tongue. ![]() The ventral surface showed a clearly visible metal barbell traversing the tongue. Clinical examination revealed a swollen tongue with a piercing mark on the dorsal surface. Thereafter he experienced mild pain and swelling leading to restriction of movement of the tongue and alteration in speech. Three weeks prior the jewellery was not visible and the patient assumed he had swallowed the jewellery. The procedure was done by an expert followed by uneventful healing. This case report highlights a complication of oral piercing wherein the dorsal surface of tongue healed over the piercing embedding the barbell without patient's knowledge.Īn 18-year-old male presented to the dental office 1 year after having his tongue pierced. The growing popularity of intraoral piercing involves the insertion of jewellery into the oral soft tissues including the lips, cheeks, frenum, and tongue. Popular sites of body piercing include ears, eyebrows, lips, nose, navel, penis, scrotum, labia, and tongue. People undergo piercing for different reasons - spiritual, self-expression, aesthetic value, sexual pleasure and to conform to their cultural identity or to rebel against it. Eskimos inserted a ‘labret’ into the lower lip as a symbol of passage to adult hood in boys and was considered as an act of purification for girls. Ancient Mayans considered piercing as a symbol of spirituality and courage. Body piercing is one of the oldest forms of adornment and body modification, which can be dated back to antiquity, reported across a wide range of cultures.
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