Teeth Whitening and Oral Piercings for Teens: What to Know Before Deciding

For teens, whitening is decided with a dentist, and tongue and lip piercings aren't recommended since they can chip teeth and make gums recede. Here's why.

"My teeth look so yellow." "I want a tongue piercing like my friends." At an age when looks start to matter more, you'll hear things like this a lot. Rather than just saying no, it's better to learn together what can happen to the teeth and gums, and then decide. Here's a guide parents and teens can read together.

How whitening and piercings affect the teeth

Whitening brightens the color of teeth by letting a whitening agent soak into the tooth. That's why it calls for caution while teeth are still developing. Whitening is generally not recommended until all the permanent teeth have come in. When baby and permanent teeth are mixed, it's natural for each tooth to look a different color. Whitening at that stage can leave the permanent teeth that come in later not matching.

Over-the-counter whitening products can also cause sensitivity and gum irritation. It's not recommended for kids to decide on their own to use them.

And more often than you'd think, teeth look yellow not because of the tooth color itself, but because of plaque (a sticky film of bacteria on the teeth) and staining. In those cases, a professional cleaning at the dentist that removes plaque and stains often solves it. Natural tooth color also varies a little from person to person, so it's good to first check whether the current color is within the normal range.

An oral piercing means wearing jewelry in the tongue or lip. Having jewelry in the mouth all the time can lead to problems like these:

• Chipped teeth. Metal jewelry hitting the teeth while chewing or talking can chip or crack them.
• Receding gums. Where the jewelry keeps rubbing, the gums can be pushed down, exposing the tooth root.
• Infection and swelling can happen. The mouth is full of bacteria.

These changes happen slowly, so teens often don't notice them on their own. Chipped teeth and receded gums are hard to restore, so tongue and lip piercings are not recommended.

Before deciding, here's what to do

If your teen wants whitening, start with a dental consultation. These are good questions to ask:

1. Is the current tooth color within the normal range, or is there staining or another cause?
2. Could a professional cleaning or better brushing habits alone make a difference?
3. If we do whiten, when and with what method is it safe?

Be careful with do-it-yourself methods at home, too. Scrubbing with charcoal toothpaste or baking soda lacks good evidence for both effectiveness and safety, and there's concern that it can wear down the tooth surface. If your teen decides to use an over-the-counter whitening product, check it together.

A common mistake is cutting things off the moment your teen asks, with "That's for when you're an adult." First, hear out why they want whitening. Are they self-conscious in photos? Did a friend say something? Once you know why, you can look together for things they can do now, like a professional cleaning or better brushing habits.

With piercings, talk honestly about the risks before they decide. Ending the conversation with "No" sometimes leads teens to do it in secret. If they've already done it, it's more important that they feel they can tell you without hiding it. That way, they can get help quickly if a problem comes up. If your teen already has a piercing, help them avoid habits like biting the jewelry or clicking it against their teeth.

Frequently asked questions

When to see the dentist

• Your teen is considering whitening, before getting started
• Teeth feel sensitive or gums sting after using a whitening product
• A tooth seems chipped or cracked after a piercing
• The gums where the jewelry touches look like they're receding
• The piercing site is swollen, painful, or oozing pus

English ebook · Dentist Ingyoon An

A guide to the decisions behind dental care

Tooth Calendar follows dental care from pregnancy to eighteen in 78 chapters. Explore the reasons behind feeding, brushing, baby-tooth decay, sedation, and injury decisions—including what can be watched and when to seek help. Age-based contents and a topic index help you find the concern you have today.

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The information in this article is for general educational purposes and does not replace professional dental care. Talk to a dentist about your child's condition.

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