Abstract Oral piercing is defined as penetration of jewelry into soft oral tissues including the lips, cheeks, tongue, and uvula. The broad acceptance of oral piercings among young people has raised the concern of dental and medical professionals due to the accompanying complications and risks to both oral and general health of the patient. The wounds created during the process of piercing increases the risk of oral infection by allowing a large number of bacteria to enter the bloodstream. Additional bacteria can also be introduced into the wound through the handling of the jewelry. During the healing process a patient should be advised by their dentist or hygienist to maintain meticulous oral health care in order to prevent infections and other serious complications. Infections Due to Oral Piercings According to the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology “Infection is the most common complication that occurs in up to 20% of all body piercings” (Holbrook, Minocha, and Laumann, 2012, p.2). Individuals are getting oral piercings for many different reasons, but they may not take into account the long-term effects and /or potential risk of infection to their oral cavity and overall health. Oral piercings are defined as penetration of jewelry into openings of soft oral tissues including the lips, cheeks, tongue, and uvula. According to Dr. Balzac in his article on oral piercings, “there are two types of tongue piercings dorsoventral and dorsolateral.” The dorsoventral is more common and the safer of the two types of tongue piercings. It involves inserting the jewelry from the top to the bottom of the tongue whereas, the dorsolateral piercing is made through the width of the tongue. Most piercers will not perform the dorsolateral piercing because of the heavily vascularized blood vessels which create a higher risk of trauma. As for lip piercings, they can be placed anywhere on the lips, including the vermillion border which is where the lip tissue meets the skin. The most common site for lip piercings is the side of the lower lip near the corners of the mouth where the lips meet. There are other oral piercings such as; cheek piercings (known as dimples), and those in the frenum, (known as web piercings) (Balzac, n.d.). These piercings are alternate forms and less common than the tongue and lip piercings. The uvula (appendix A) piercing is the least common due to the difficulty of performing the piercing. These piercings cause substantial risk to the health of an individual. There are multiple reasons why individuals are getting oral piercings. In the Journal of Investigative & Clinical Dentistry, it states that “Dental health-care professionals need to be aware of the procedures and risks involved with oral piercings and the social and psychological reasons that lead people to engage in this practice, regardless of the risks” (Singh, and Tuli, 2012, p.95). One of the reasons individuals get oral piercings is because they are associated with fashion trends. Some people may think that it is “cute” to get their lip pierced showing off a fashion statement. Another reason is to signify self-expression. This is seen mostly in the teenage populations for the need to be seen or the need to stand out. Certain groups such as gothic might have specific piercings that play a part of the group’s identity. Gothic people tend to wear dark clothing, makeup, and have an abundance of oral piercings. Oral piercings tend to help certain individuals seek something different from normal, or an expression of art. Lastly, people may get oral piercings because of the perception of being daring or a risk taker. Oral piercings can portray the act of breaking the rules or rebelling. This may be a way for the individual to stand out or seek attention, like they are “trouble” makers. The broad acceptance of oral piercing among young people has raised the concern of dental and medical professionals due to the accompanying complications and risks to their oral and general health. In 1998, the American Dental Association (ADA) issued a statement opposing the practices of intraoral and perioral piercing because of the risk of potential complications associated (2014). Although there are risks of potential complications with oral piercings, infection can occur instantaneously and progress to severe health problems. According to the article Mouth Jewelry, Oral Piercings and Your Health, “There is a risk of oral inf