When it comes to piercings around the mouth, many people immediately think of tongue and lip piercings. These are certainly common, but many people who are into body piercing opt to have their gums pierced. Conventionally, this means wearing a stud through the gum, often above the two front teeth. While this idea might make some people cringe, it can be tempting for others — and you may fall into the latter group. If you're thinking about a gum piercing, perhaps because some of your friends have had this procedure done, you should also think about how this jewelry could affect your dental health. Here are some reasons that your family dentist will almost certainly warn you that a gum piercing is bad news

Enamel Wear

Depending on the size of the piercing that you're thinking about getting, it could occasionally rub across the top of your teeth. This might not seem like a major problem, but even a small amount of rubbing every day can lead to a considerable amount of enamel wear over time. The wearing of enamel heightens the risk of the teeth in question getting cavities and may also result in them being more sensitive when you have hot or cold foods. All of these could mean that a simple gum piercing leads to future dental bills and discomfort.

Brushing Changes

Many people brush their front teeth vigorously, given that these teeth are the easiest to reach with a toothbrush. If you have a gum piercing directly above and between your two front teeth, however, you may find that vigorously brushing this area causes the piercing to move around and be uncomfortable. You may decide to change your brushing to apply lighter pressure in this area, but the problem with this idea is that you won't be thoroughly cleaning these teeth. This simple change could eventually lead to cavities or perhaps even gingivitis.

Lip Irritation

Certain pieces of body jewelry can be smoother than others, but even something that is smooth can irritate your skin. This is especially true of a piercing inside of your mouth, given the sensitive nature of the inside of your lips. When a stud is constantly pressing against the inside of your upper lip, it can be uncomfortable. You might forgo using mouthwash because it causes the sore area to sting — and this decision, of course, can also affect your dental health.

If you are thinking about getting a gum piercing, talk to a dentist about the ways it could possibly affect your dental health.