Alveolar bone loss and gingival recession due to lip and tongue piercing

Oral piercing is a practice that has gained acceptance as a sign of individuality, marginality, decoration or group membership. In spite of its banal appearance, as seen in various scientific studies, piercing is not without risks. Complications include infection, bleeding and local trauma, which are frequent enough to raise questions about the safety and dangers of piercing. The case presented here revealed marked gingival recession accompanied by substantial bone loss caused by piercing the lower lip and tongue. Dental practitioners should be aware of the increasing number of patients with pierced intraoral and perioral sites and be prepared to provide appropriate guidance to patients who contemplate body piercing that involves oral sites.