Had a similar experience myself, but mine was with a lip piercing. Initially had acrylic jewelry and didn't think much of it until I noticed some gum recession starting. Switched to surgical-grade stainless steel and downsized the jewelry length—made a noticeable difference almost immediately. Acrylic can harbor bacteria more easily, so metal options like titanium or surgical steel are generally safer bets for oral piercings. Glad you sorted yours out early... gum issues aren't fun to deal with later on.
"Acrylic can harbor bacteria more easily, so metal options like titanium or surgical steel are generally safer bets for oral piercings."
Good point about acrylic jewelry, but even surgical steel isn't always perfect. My daughter had a lip piercing with surgical steel initially, and we still saw some irritation and minor gum recession. Switching to implant-grade titanium actually made the biggest difference for her. Titanium's hypoallergenic properties seem to help reduce irritation even more than stainless steel, especially if you're sensitive. Just something else to consider if anyone's still having trouble...
Interesting you mention titanium being better than surgical steel. I had a similar experience myself. When I first got my lip pierced, the piercer recommended surgical steel, saying it was the safest option. But within a couple months, I noticed some mild swelling and irritation around the piercing site. It wasn't terrible, but definitely uncomfortable enough to make me reconsider.
After talking to a friend who'd switched to titanium, I decided to give it a shot too. Honestly, the difference was night and day. Within a week or two, the irritation had almost completely disappeared, and the piercing healed up beautifully. I think you're onto something about titanium's hypoallergenic properties—especially for those of us who might be extra sensitive.
"Switching to implant-grade titanium actually made the biggest difference for her."
Couldn't agree more based on my own experience. Surgical steel is decent, but titanium really seems like the way to go if you're prone to irritation or gum issues. Glad your daughter found relief too... dental problems from piercings can be such a headache.
Totally get what you're saying about titanium—I had a similar issue when I got my tongue pierced years ago. Surgical steel was fine at first, but after a while, I noticed some gum sensitivity and irritation. Once I swapped to titanium, things cleared up pretty quickly. Honestly, considering how close lip and tongue piercings are to your teeth and gums, it's probably worth investing in higher-quality jewelry from the start...
"dental problems from piercings can be such a headache."
Couldn't have said it better myself. Glad you found relief too!
My daughter went through something similar when she got her lip pierced. At first, we didn't think much about jewelry quality—just went with what the piercer recommended—but after a few months, she started complaining about gum soreness and sensitivity. Switching to titanium made a noticeable difference pretty quickly. Wish we'd known sooner... dental issues are stressful enough without adding piercing complications into the mix. Glad things worked out better for you too.
