[A PhD completed. Trauma to the gingiva by oral hygiene aids and oral piercings]

Maintaining healthy teeth and soft oral tissue is important. Clinical research has shown manual toothbrushes with end-rounded filaments to cause significantly less gingival abrasions than those without end-rounding. Tapered filaments are an alternative to end-rounded filaments, but there is no solid evidence for their effectiveness. For the interdental spaces that the toothbrush doesn't reach, the use of special oral hygiene aids is advised. Clinical studies of gingivitis patients have shown that both interdental brushes and plastic-rubber bristles reduce gingivitis after 4 weeks of use. Plastic-rubber bristles result in a significant improvement in the tendency for interdental bleeding compared with interdental brushes, and they cause less abrasion of the gingiva. Other factors that can potentially traumatise soft and hard oral tissue are oral piercings. Wearing oral piercings is not without risk. Tongue and lip piercings are associated with the risk of gingival recession, and tongue piercings are associated with tooth fractures. To prevent the risk of complications, patients should be discouraged from wearing oral piercings.