Tongue piercings have become very popular with young adults as a cool and trendy accessory. While this fashion trend can enhance a look or aesthetic, it could negatively impact an individual’s oral health, too. A case study from the University of Buffalo found that tongue piercings could cause gapped teeth.

1. Tongue Piercings
Can Lead to
Gaps between Teeth
Cuffley Village Dental Practice
38 Station Road, Cuffley, Hertfordshire EN6 4HE
01707 818 938

2. Tongue piercings have become very popular with young adults as a cool and trendy
accessory. While this fashion trend can enhance a look or aesthetic, it could negatively
impact an individual’s oral health, too. A case study from the University of Buffalo found
that tongue piercings could cause gapped teeth.
'Playing' with Tongue Studs Create Space between Teeth
The case study documented the story of a 26-year-old female who had her tongue pierced
seven years earlier. She complained about the large gap that formed between her upper
front teeth. No such gap existed prior to her getting her tongue pierced.
The researcher learned that she kept on pushing (also known as ‘playing’) the barbell-
shaped tongue stud between her upper front teeth each day for seven years. This formed
the gap between her teeth where she habitually placed the stud. She then had to get a
fixed braces appliance to push her front teeth back together.

3. Case study author and assistant professor of orthodontics Sawsan Tabbaa also looked at
the results of a previous survey to support his research. The earlier study discovered that
among the high school students who had a tongue stud, a very high percentage of them
developed a habit of ‘playing’ with the stud, thus forming the front teeth gap that was
observed.
Other Oral Problems Caused by Tongue Piercings
On top of creating a gap between the teeth, tongue piercings could also cause recessed
gums and chipped teeth. A study published in the Journal of Periodontology revealed that
recessed gums occurred in 35 per cent of the participants who had a tongue stud for at
least four years. Moreover, chipped teeth occurred in 47 per cent of participants with a
barbell stud for four or more years. Apart from these oral problems, an article by Oral
Answers says that some of the negative effects of tongue piercings include speech
impediments, bad breath, nerve damage and excessive drooling.

4. Since tongue piercing can negatively affect a person’s oral health, Tabbaa says that best
way to protect the teeth is to avoid getting one’s tongue pierced completely.
Sources:
https://www.cuffleyvillagedental.co.uk/
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2010/08/11585.html
http://www.oralanswers.com/tongue-piercing-risks-10-ways-it-hurts-your-mouth-teeth/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11922258
https://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/tongue-piercings-can-cause-tooth-gaps-chips