Tongue piercings are extremely popular, but they can come with dental risks. Having a stud in your tongue can potentially damage your teeth, due to friction and repeated collisions between the teeth and the stud. If you have or want a tongue stud, you don't absolutely have to get rid of it in order to protect your teeth. Here are a few ideas of reducing the risk of tooth damage when you have a tongue piercing.

Non-Metal Choices

Most people choose metal studs for their tongues, but that doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to metal choices. By choosing an enamel or plastic stud, you drastically reduce the risk of damage to your teeth.

Since enamel and plastic are both softer and more lightweight materials than solid metal, they're less likely to chip your teeth. If you want a metal post to reduce the risk of inflammation or infection in the tongue piercing, you can still choose a metal post that comes with a plastic or enamel stud on top to protect your teeth.

Softer Metals

Whether you need a metal post or not, you can still buy metal studs if that's what you really want. By choosing something other than steel or platinum, you can still reduce the risk of harming your teeth.

Instead, consider materials like silver or gold. Gold is an especially good choice, since it's hypoallergenic and can be extremely soft. Pick a gold with as high a karat as possible for a softer stud. For example, 24 karat gold is softer than 18 karat gold. The softer the gold, the less likely it is to damage your teeth.

Visit Dentist First

Lastly, don't forget to visit a dentist before you get a tongue piercing, or as soon as possible after doing so if you've already gotten pierced.

Dentists can inspect your teeth to look for weak enamel and other pre-existing damage that may make your teeth even more vulnerable to studs. By repairing this damage, your teeth will be less likely to experience devastating chipping or breaks from being struck by a tongue stud. Your dentist may also be able to offer services like remineralization or bonding in order to further strengthen your teeth.

Tooth piercings can be dangerous for your teeth, but there are plenty of ways you can reduce that risk. Talk to your dentist and make sure your teeth are up to the task before you get your tongue piercing or choose your next tongue stud.

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