Body piercing is a popular form of self-expression. Oral piercings or tongue splitting may look cool, but they can be dangerous to your health. That’s because your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection and swelling often occur with mouth piercings. For instance, your mouth and tongue could swell so much that it could close off your airway or you could possibly choke if part of the jewelry breaks off in your mouth.In some cases, you could crack a tooth if you bite down too hard on the piercing, and repeated clicking of the jewelry against teeth can also cause damage. Oral piercing could also lead to more serious infections, like hepatitis or endocarditis. Thus the best option is to consider removing mouth jewelry before it causes a problem. Don’t pierce on a whim. The piercing will be an added responsibility to your life, requiring constant attention and upkeep. Talk to your dentist for more information.

Your body is a complex machine. The foods you choose and how often you eat them can affect your general health and the health of your teeth and gums, too. If you consume too many sugar-filled sodas, sweetened fruit drinks or non-nutritious snacks, you could be at risk for tooth decay. It’s not only what you eat but when you eat that can affect your dental health.. Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks. If you do snack, choose something that is healthy like fruit or vegetables or a piece of cheese. Foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm to teeth than eating lots of snacks throughout the day. Also remember to brush twice a day, floss daily and visit your dentist regularly.

Supernumerary teeth or Hyperdontia is the condition of having teeth that appear in addition to the regular number of teeth. They can appear in any area of the dental arch and can affect any dental organ. Depending upon the position of the tooth, supernumerary teeth can be classified as: Mesiodens (most common), Paramolars or Distomolars (rare). Supernumerary teeth do not cause any harm, but they may delay eruption of nearby teeth or cause other dental or orthodontic problems. Dental X-rays are often used to diagnose hyperdontia. Extraction of such teeth is a mode of treatment if they are unslighty to the patient. If not, they can be retained in the mouth but oral hygiene must be meticulously maintained.