Oral piercing catches attention of fans at Winter Olympics

Dental experts have warned individuals to avoid oral piercings, after an Olympian sported the jewelry in the 2026 Winter Games.

U.S. Olympic athlete Alysa Liu received a gold medal for women’s singles figure skating on Feb. 19, according to a news article from VT. Following the feat, social media users noticed Ms. Liu’s piercing, which is known as a smiley piercing. This type of jewelry is placed through the tissue connecting the upper lip to the gum. In a recent interview, Ms. Liu stated she performed the piercing herself.

However, the experts cited in the article stressed that oral piercings can often result in swelling of the mouth and tongue, bleeding, scarring and infections. Further, the jewelry itself can break off and become a choking risk, embed in oral tissues or damage the teeth with which it comes into contact.

Those considering oral piercings were advised to speak with their dentists about the risks.

For more information, visit the ADA Oral Health Topic on Oral Piercing/Jewelry at ada.org.

Read more: VT

The article presented here is intended to inform you about the broader media perspective on dentistry, regardless of its alignment with the ADA's stance. It is important to note that publication of an article does not imply the ADA's endorsement, agreement, or promotion of its content.