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True-or-False Dental Exam

Test your knowledge of the facts that put teeth into sound dental care.

Questions

1. Oral piercings cause minimal dental or oral problems.

___True

___False

2. The amount you sleep affects your gums.

___True

___False  

Answers

1. False. Common symptoms after oral piercing include swelling, painfulness, infection, and increased saliva. Prolonged bleeding can also occur. Other risks include damage to teeth, interference with chewing or speech, the formation of scar tissue, and interference with diagnoses. Oral piercings have also been linked to the transmission of blood-borne hepatitis.1

2. True. Lack of sleep is second only to smoking among lifestyle factors that affect periodontal health, according to a study in the May 2007 Journal of Periodontology. Study participants who got seven to eight hours of sleep showed less progression of periodontal (gum) disease than those who slept six hours or less.2, 3

1 “ ADA Positions & Statements: ADA Statement on Intraoral/Perioral Piercing and Tongue Splitting.” American Dental Association, October 2004. www.ada.org/prof/resources/positions/statements/piercing.asp Accessed 2008.

2 “Longitudinal Study of the Association Between Smoking as a Periodontitis Risk and Salivary Biomarkers Related to Periodontitis.” M. Kibayashi. Journal of Periodontology. 2007, vol. 78, no. 5, pp. 859–867. 

3 “Smoking and Sleep Top the List of Lifestyle Factors Impacting Oral Health.”American Academy of Periodontology, May 15, 2007.

www.perio.org/consumer/lifestyle-factors.htmAccessed 2008.

Date Last Reviewed: 10/8/2008
Date Last Modified: 10/8/2008
The views represented by this article are that of the author and not of Delta Dental. This article is provided for information only. Please consult with a licensed dentist to discuss the best way for you to improve or maintain your oral health.

In all cases, specific group contract provisions, benefits, limitations and exclusions take precedence over oral health recommendations given here. We recommend that you contact your dental benefits carrier to determine the specific limitations and exclusions for your group.