Not exactly. Oral piercing has become much more common, but here's what you should keep in mind before having it done. In most cases, the person doing the piercing has no special medical training and may not know where the large nerves and blood vessels are in the tongue or lips. Also, some piercing studios may not be properly sterilizing their instruments. You may be risking serious infection, blood-borne disease transmission (including hepatitis, HIV and others) that can be life-threatening, nerve damage, loss of sensitivity, gum infection, bone loss around your teeth or serious tooth fractures for which you may need root canal treatment or extractions. An infection in the tongue can spread to the rest of your body very easily and lead to toxic shock syndrome or blood poisoning. If you insist on having a tongue piercing, keep it spotlessly clean and remove the barbell or ring at night and brush it as you would your teeth.

Fluoride is a natural element that is commonly found in trace amounts in food. In your body, the fluoride gets deposited in all growing bones and teeth which will become stronger and more resistant to decay. If your community has a fluoride content in the water supply of one part per million, you don't need to take supplemental fluoride. If you use a water filter at home, you may be removing all the fluoride and not getting any of its benefits. Also, if you use bottled water for drinking or cooking, it may not contain fluoride. The Public Health Unit can tell you where you can have your water tested for fluoride content and if you need additional fluoride, your dentist can give you the necessary prescription.