This is now in keeping with similar legislation such as tattooing of minors and female genital mutilation. The Public Health (Wales) Bill was accepted by the National Assembly for Wales in May 2017 and the age for intimate piercing, including tongue piercing, has been raised to 18 years old. The Welsh Dental Committee (WDC) responded to the consultation and strongly suggested that intimate piercing should include tongue piercing, and as a result tongue piercing was added to the list of intimate piercings. In 2015, the Welsh Government introduced a Public Health (Wales) Bill which included a clause to ban all intimate piercing before the age of 18. The Welsh Government has raised serious concerns about the medical implications associated with intimate piercings, and the potential vulnerability of young people receiving such piercings. 9 Local authorities can choose whether to adopt and enforce these guidelines in addition to their own byelaws therefore piercing standards vary across the UK. With the aim of preventing transmission of infectious diseases, the Health and Safety Executive have produced the SR12 publication to help piercers comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002. ![]() 8 The Local Government Act 2003 also stipulates standards of cross infection control. 7 Furthermore, there are specifications stated in the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 and the Local Government Act 2003 for local authorities in England and Wales to require the registration of individuals providing body piercings. ![]() In England and Wales, local authorities have the power to apply the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to impose infection control and safety requirements. Furthermore, a literature review was conducted to establish the current global trends in oral piercings and discuss the potential complications resulting from such body modifications.Ĭurrently the legislation for licensing and registration of piercing establishments varies between local authorities. To establish the current attitudes of the dental profession towards oral piercings, a national survey was conducted among General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) across Wales. 2, 3 Oral piercings have been a recent topic of debate in the Welsh Government, and in May 2017 a new Public Health (Wales) Bill was accepted by the National Assembly for Wales to ban all intimate piercing, which includes tongue piercing, before the age of 18. 2) however piercing of alternative anatomical sites such as the cheeks ( Figs 3 and 4) and frenulae ( Fig. Common sites for oral piercings include the tongue ( Fig. 1 However, rather than a fad, oral piercings have become increasingly popular. In 1992, the first report relating to oral piercing appeared in the dental literature titled ‘Tongue piercing: a new fad in body art’. To address this, patient information leaflets have been developed to encourage dentists to discuss complications associated with oral piercings with patients.īody modification, the purposeful alteration of normal human anatomy to achieve a desired appearance, is a popular practice that has led to a rise in the prevalence of oral piercings. Conclusions The results of this survey suggest that dental professionals are not fully confident discussing risks and preventative advice with patients. Only one dentist reported providing written information and 83% responded that they would like to have access to printed information directed at patients. The advice provided varied markedly, with the majority (73.6%) reporting they had acquired knowledge through experience alone. Only 24.5% were very confident discussing piercing complications. Methods A questionnaire was sent to 200 dentists across Wales with questions regarding perceived confidence in providing advice, type of advice provided, the sources dentists use to acquire knowledge and the perceived need for further professional information. Aims The aim of this survey was to establish the current knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of dentists regarding advice provided to patients with oral piercings. Providing patient preventative advice regarding piercing complications is important, however the level of advice offered by UK dentists is currently unknown. ![]() Consequently, the dental profession is encountering an increasing number of complications associated with piercings. Introduction The prevalence of oral piercings in the UK is increasing.
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