OT: cautionary tale about piercings

#1

Maybe some of you saw the post where I talked about having an abscess and seeing the dentist. Saw him again today and had xrays. Turns out I have a 90% bone loss between my bottom two incisors. That’s right… 90%. It’s gone… all the way down to the beginning of my jaw.

Now here is the kicker. I brush twice a day, everyday. Floss everytime and swish with Listerine. Why do I suddenly have to have a bone graft on my bottom jaw? Because I was foolish and got a tongue ring 3 years ago. :doh: Turns out the bottom ball of the barbell, had rubbed and knocked into that area of my gum, usually overnight, but so much, that it eroded the bone away and now I’m left with a hole. My last xrays were done 2 years ago and at that time, there was no bone loss. So this all happened in only 2 years time.

I had no symptoms. No warnings. No pain. Nothing. Nothing until the hole it left behind, became a very angry pocket of nastiness. SO… :shock: In closing, if you ever decided to get a tongue ring, or have one right now, let me give you the benefit of my misery. Get to your dentist, have it checked right away and if possible, get rid of it completely. Then you wont have to go through the $5000 dollars worth of surgery that I have to go through. :oops:

#2

Ouch! :frowning: Thanks for the warning.

#3

Ow! So sorry this happened. I wish the piercing industry was more closely regulated, and that there were more studies to evaluate how safe these things are. (From someone who now has a nasty scar where she once had a pretty belly-button ring - I was stupid, and played with it, and it got infected and horrible.)

Hope the dentist can sort you out.

#4

Aby, I am so sorry you have to go through all that surgery. :frowning: I never like hearing of anyone who has mouth pain, I know what it is like (TMJ). I hope you feel better REALLY SOON!!!

Lots of hugs,
Lisa

#5

aww thank you all for the hugs and well wishing. I appreciate it. I’m seriously going to turn into the anti-tongue ring spokesperson, for sure. Worst part about all that, was my mom being there to hear the dentist say what caused it. I got the look… you know that look?

“I warned you not to put any more holes in your body then God intended, and look where it got you. Always listen to Mommy!” :lol:

#6

Gulp. :shock: I begged my dd not to get a tongue ring, but I did let her make the choice herself when she was about 18 (was still living at home then). She’s not had any problems with it at all, but I still plan to send her your post. She needs to have her wisdom teeth cut out soon, so at least I know she will be seeing a dentist in the foreseeable future.

I am so sorry you’re having to go through this, Aby, but I appreciate your sharing your pain, and I will pass it along to any I know who contemplate getting a tongue ring! :thumbsup:

#7

Aby, do you mind me quoting you on another website, as a warning to the teens that come to the teen forum there?

#8

Ouch! I’m so sorry! Piercing my ears caused me enough problems to keep me from any other holes in my skin, thank goodness. DD wants to be an opera star, so that will keep her from doing anything too outrageous with her appearance, I hope. :heart: Hugs for you! I’m so glad your mom can be there for you.

#9

Thanks Sara. I’ve had my nose pierced a couple times, ears three times… never had problems until now. I was fairly confident in my decision and even did research before getting it done. I never saw anything about this type of injury. I guess you never can tell till it’s too late.

Not at all. Please do. Just for clarity, the issue is that because a piercer doesn’t know enough about jaw structure and general oral anatomy, they can’t be sure where the bottom of the jewelry will touch. Also, even if the piercer gets the placement spot on, the jewelry can migrate into a slanted position, simply from the bottom of the tongue pushing on it. Eventually, it moves into a position where it rubs at the bone. Another problem is when talking, sometimes you can flick the barbell against the tooth or gum and that shatters the bone, even if it seems a minor tap. This is all information from my dentist and a form he had from the ADA.

So, in hind sight, my piercing was fine for a full year before it slanted and began rubbing at that area. I hope whomever you show this to, changes their mind. Good luck :thumbsup:

#10

Thanks, Aby, so much for sharing this! My dd also thoroughly researched the subject (as did I!) before her piercing, but we never saw anything about this particular complication. I sent my dd an e-mail with your previous posts, and will also forward this last one to her; and now I will post in the teen forum I mentioned.

#11

Bone loss is no joke! Thanks, Aby, for sharing your story. I’m going to print out a copy to give to my dental clinic, because many of their clients are of “piercing age.” Best wishes to you for a smooth surgery and an easy recovery!

#12

So sorry Aby! I hope you can get it fixed to a point where you won’t have any more trouble. Hope the surgery isn’t too painful :frowning:

#13

Aby, that’s horrible! Thanks for sharing that info, good to know! I hope you recover well, and soon! Sorry it’s going to cost so much. :frowning: I hope it’s somewhat fixable! xoxo Amy

#14

Ouch! Im actualyl having to grow in my ear peircings because ive had so many problems with them…and while I want more peircings (scarring is not an issue- i have enough of that that it wouldnt show! lol) I know it would be a bad idea- even if I did it myself or had a doctor (dad) do it for me. And this just convinced me to never perice my tongue! I wanted to forever but couldnt because of debate…now i def wont!

Bone loss is a serious issue in the mouth- you can get bone loss from just not being hygenic enough (I know im at risk as is, and because i have a really small mouth i have to use these special tools to stimulate the gums to make sure they dont recede [more])

I hope the surgery goes well!

#15

Awww thanks you guys… On Friday, the dentist cleaned it all out and injected the antibiotic gel so now it’s just a wait and see deal. I go back on July 27th for the quadrant cleaning. They have to do that before the bone graft to avoid any possible infections. Right now, he just wants to tighten up my gums and those teeth and kill off the infection. I’m also doing a perio rinse twice a day. Flouride and some other stuff that I have to cut with water. Still in pain but not nearly as much as before so it’s all good. Plus, I have my deliveries of Noro Kureyon to keep my occupied. ~picture me, sitting at the window, panting like a puppy, waiting for the ups man~ :roflhard: