Randomized controlled trial: lip piercing: the impact of material on microbiological findings.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are microbiological differences in bacterial samples collected from labial piercings made of different materials. METHODS: Sterile piercings of 4 materials were randomly allocated to 80 pierced subjects. After 2 weeks, microbiologic samples were collected and processed by checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization methods. Wilcoxon signed ranks and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical analysis (adjustment for multiple comparisons). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between material groups in relation to baseline data. In samples from stainless steel piercings, the total microbial load was significantly higher than the other materials (P<.05). Ten (mainly periopathogenic) species were found at significantly higher levels (P<.001) on steel than on polypropylene and/or polytetrafluoroethylene piercings. CONCLUSIONS: Labial piercings made of stainless steel could promote the development of a pathogenic biofilm.

Lateral lower lip piercing--prevalence of associated oral complications: a split-mouth cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate via a split-mouth cross-sectional study the prevalence of gingival recessions associated with lateral lower lip piercing in a population obtained from a nondental setting. METHOD AND MATERIALS: A split-mouth study was performed in a sample of 47 patients with one lateral lower lip piercing. Teeth in direct contact with the intraoral closure of the stud were defined as test teeth; contralateral teeth were selected as controls. Clinical examination included full-mouth plaque and bleeding indices, probing depth, recession, clinical attachment level, periodontal biotype, evaluation of hard tissues, occlusal trauma, stud characteristics, and mucosal inspection and palpation. RESULTS: Midbuccal recession was noted in four test teeth compared with one control tooth (8.5% and 2.1%, respectively; P = .250). The canine and first premolars were the most affected. Tooth chipping occurred in one test tooth and no control teeth. Plaque levels were significantly higher in test than control teeth (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Lateral lower lip piercing is associated with significantly higher plaque accumulation on adjacent teeth. A small percentage of lateral lower lip piercings may cause tooth chipping or buccal recession in adjacent teeth.

The alternative ear-piercing technique by using superpulsed carbon dioxide laser: a comparative study with spring-loaded gun.

Ear piercing (EP) is increasing in popularity among teenagers. Techniques for EP should be selected carefully to prevent possible complications. The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical outcomes of EP techniques between CO(2) laser and spring-loaded gun. This is a prospective and comparative clinical trial. Under local anesthesia, EP was performed on left ear with CO(2) laser (20 watt/single mode) and on right ear with spring-loaded gun. With visual analog scale (VAS, 0-10) and questionnaire, post-operative pain and wound healing status were assessed immediately, 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after EP procedure. Fourteen subjects (14/17, 82.4%) completed the whole study. Immediately after the procedure, the level of post-operative pain (VAS) was 3.2 for CO(2) laser and 1.5 for spring-loaded gun (p < 0.05). In CO(2) laser group, pain severity decreased to 0.4, 0.1, 0, and 0, while in spring-loaded gun group, the decrease was only to 0.7, 0.6, 0.3 and 0 at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks, respectively. Duration of post-operative pain was 3.8 and 17.5 days for CO(2) laser and spring-loaded gun, respectively (p < 0.05). There was no major complication like infection, bleeding or hypertrophic scar. Our study suggests that CO(2) laser is a precise, simple, safe and aseptic technique for EP. It has a lower level and shorter duration of post-operative pain, when compared with spring-loaded gun. Therefore, CO(2) assisted EP is an alternative and feasible technique in our daily clinical practice. The level of evidence: 2b.

Self-reported complications with lip and tongue piercing.

OBJECTIVES: Owing to the overwhelming popularity of oral piercing, general practitioners should be prepared to address complications arising as a result of oral piercing and to provide patients with accurate information. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of early and late complications associated with lip and tongue piercing in a population obtained from a nondental setting. Possible cofactors were evaluated. METHOD AND MATERIALS: The study cohort included 130 lip and 80 tongue piercings. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire to determine demographic data, smoking habits, characteristics of the piercing worn (time since piercing, material-plastic or metal), postpiercing complications, and possible cofactors. RESULTS: Prevalence of early piercing complications was 87.83%. Although there was no statistically significant difference in the overall prevalence of early postpiercing complications after lip or tongue piercing, the type of complication differed significantly according to the piercing location. Significant cofactors for early complications were oral hygiene behavior, gender, and the person who performed the piercing. The highest prevalence of late complications was found to be recurrent infections and gingival recessions. As cofactors, time since piercing and oral hygiene behavior had a significant impact on late complications. CONCLUSION: Early complications after oral piercing are frequent. Oral health care might be an important tool to minimize early and late postpiercing complications. Owing to the high prevalence of late complications-especially after median lip piercing-persons with oral piercing should attend regular dental checks and receive professional advice on tooth cleaning and oral hygiene.

Colonization of Candida: prevalence among tongue-pierced and non-pierced immunocompetent adults.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the colonization of Candida at the tongue-piercing site of immunocompetent individuals. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Swabs samples were obtained from the anterior lingual mucosa of healthy young adults with tongue piercing (N = 115); 86 subjects with (non-intra-oral) facial piercing served as a comparison group. Candida colonization was examined by light microscopy after 5-day incubation. Positive specimens were re-cultured on Chromagar Candida plates for species identifying. RESULTS: Candida colonization was more prevalent among tongue-pierced (20.0%) than facial-pierced subjects (9.4%; P = 0.048). All colonies were of Candida albicans. No difference was found between current tongue ornament wearers (21.2%) and non-wearers (19.5%; P = 0.803). In multivariate analysis, the only significantly positive influencing factors on colonization were tongue piercing (P = 0.034) and daily smoking of more than 10 cigarettes (P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Piercing of the tongue was found to be a risk factor for colonization of Candida albicans, without an influence of whether or not an ornament is in place.

Ear piercing techniques and their effect on cartilage, a histologic study.

BACKGROUND: The popularity of high ear piercing has led to an increased incidence of perichondritis. Damage to the relatively avascular cartilage will make the ear prone to infection. The literature suggests that a piercing gun, mainly used by jewellers to pierce the lobule, may give excessive cartilaginous damage. Therefore some authors favour the piercing needle, as used in piercing studios. But until now, no comparative histological studies have been performed. PURPOSE OF STUDY: To evaluate the extent of damage to ear cartilage using different piercing techniques. METHODS: Twenty-two fresh human cadaver ears were pierced using two spring loaded piercing guns (Caflon and Blomdahl), one hand force system (Studex) and a piercing needle (16G i.v. catheter). Extent of damage to the perichondrium and cartilage was quantified using a transverse section along the pin tract and compared between the different methods. RESULTS: The pattern of injury was similar in all techniques, showing perichondrium stripped from the cartilage around the pin tract, with most damage present on the exit site (mean length of 0.43 mm). Cartilage fractures and loose fragments were present over a mean length of 0.21 mm. No significant difference in the amount of injury between the different techniques was observed. CONCLUSIONS: In contradiction with assumptions in the literature, all piercing methods give the same extent of damage to cartilage and perichondrium. Each method is expected to have the same risk for perichondritis, thus in the prevention of post-piercing perichondritis focus should be on other factors such as hygiene and after-care.

A missing tongue stud: an unusual appendicular foreign body.

Appendicitis caused by foreign bodies after body piercing is rare. Previous reports have described a variety of foreign bodies that were either found incidentally in the appendix or were felt to be responsible for appendicitis. We report a case where a patient known to have previously ingested a "tongue stud" after a tongue piercing presented with chronic right iliac fossa pain. The missing "tongue stud" had impacted in the appendix and was successfully removed by laparoscopic appendicectomy with resolution of patient's symptoms. We review the literature covering the clinical management of patients presenting with foreign bodies in the appendix.

Usefulness of the nipple-suspension piercing device after correction of inverted nipples.

The authors have devised a new piercing instrument for postoperative nipple suspension of inverted nipples. The instrument can be used not only postsurgically, but also for nipple suspension in light inverted nipple cases without surgical repair. Details of the device and the method of piercing are described.