title: Dental and periodontal complications of lip and tongue piercing: prevalence and influencing factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of lip and tongue piercing complications and explore the effect of ornament time wear period, habits, ornament morphology and periodontal biotype on the development of complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and ten subjects with 110 lip and 51 tongue piercings were assessed for abnormal toothwear and/or tooth chipping/cracking (dental defects), gingival recession, clinical attachment loss and probing depth of teeth adjacent to the pierced site. Piercing habits (biting, rolling, stroking, sucking) were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wear time and habits significantly affected the prevalence of dental defects and gingival recession. Pierced site significantly affected dental defects prevalence, with greater prevalence for tongue than lip piercing. Wear time significantly affected attachment loss and probing depth. Attachment loss and probing depth did not significantly differ between tongue and lip piercings. Gingival recession was significantly associated with ornament height closure and stem length of tongue ornaments. Periodontal biotype was not significantly associated with gingival recession, attachment loss and probing depth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dental defects prevalence is greater for tongue than lip piercing. Gingival recession is similar for tongue and lip piercing. Longer wear time of tongue and lip piercing is associated with greater prevalence of dental defects and gingival recession, as well as greater attachment loss and probing depth of teeth adjacent to pierced sites. Ornament morphology affects gingival recession prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, The University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plessas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pepelassi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D046288:Body Piercing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003741:Dental Deposits / Q000209:etiology; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D004570:Electrogalvanism, Intraoral; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000209:etiology*; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000293:injuries*; D008297:Male; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000209:etiology*; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000473:pathology; D012798:Sialorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014059:Tongue / Q000293:injuries*; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D057085:Tooth Wear / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult