Alysa Liu’s Viral Smiley Piercing Comes With Health Risks, ADA Says
If your child watched the 2026 Winter Olympics, there’s a good chance they already know who Alysa Liu is.
And if they follow her on social media, they’ve likely noticed the small piece of jewelry that flashes every time she smiles. They may already be asking you about getting one of their own.
Before that conversation happens, here’s what you need to know about the piercing trend, why dental health experts are urging caution, and one detail about Liu’s piercing story that should give every parent pause.
Alysa Liu’s Rise and Her Reach Among Fans
Alysa Liu was one of the most talked-about athletes of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina.
She helped Team USA win a gold medal in the team figure skating event on Feb. 8, then catapulted to global stardom on Feb. 19 with a gold medal in the women’s free skate.
As such, she became the first American woman to earn an individual figure skating gold medal at the Olympics in 24 years. The last to do so was Sarah Hughes in 2002.
And that victory came nearly one year after she earned a gold medal at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, making her the first American woman to win a gold title since 2006.
Her performances at the Olympics earned her more than five million followers on Instagram in just two weeks, going from 210,000 followers before the Olympics to 5.2 million, as of Feb. 24.
That’s 5.2 million people — many of them young fans and aspiring athletes — watching everything she posts, including close-up shots of her smile. And what many of those fans noticed was a glint of jewelry on Alysa Liu’s teeth.
What Is a ‘Smiley’ Piercing?
A smiley piercing, also known as a lip frenulum piercing, is an oral piercing where jewelry is inserted into your lip frenulum (labial frenum), according to WebMD.
The frenulum is the thin flap of skin that connects your lip to your gum. Its name comes from the fact that it can only be seen when a person smiles — something Alysa Liu did plenty of the past two weeks.
The piercing is sure to rise in popularity now that Liu is a global superstar. And that’s precisely why the American Dental Association is speaking up.
Alysa Liu Shares the Origin Story of Her Smiley
This is the part of the story that may concern parents the most.
Liu opened up about the piercing in an interview with TMJ4 News, shared on YouTube Jan. 26.
“Oh, my ‘smiley,’” she said to the camera. “I pierced it a little over two years ago now.”
“I did it myself,” she added. “I had my sister hold up my lip, and I was looking in the mirror and I had my piercing needle and then — yeah, I just put it through,” she said.
Liu described performing the piercing at home with no mention of professional guidance. An Olympic gold medalist casually describing a DIY piercing makes the act seem simple and safe — and with 5.2 million followers watching her every post, that message reaches an enormous young audience.
If your child brings up wanting a smiley piercing, this is a natural opening to talk about why doing something like this at home, without professional training or sterile equipment, carries serious risks.
What the ADA Wants Parents (and Fans) to Know
The ADA is clear and direct in its warning about this type of piercing.
“Oral piercings or tongue splitting may look cool, but they can be dangerous to your health,” the ADA writes on its MouthHealthy website.
“That’s because your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection and swelling often occur with mouth piercings,” the ADA continues.
According to the ADA, an oral piercing also increases the risk of damaged teeth, gums or fillings; hypersensitivity to metals; nerve damage; excessive drooling; and dental appointment difficulties.
The ADA lists these as known risks associated with oral piercings. For a teen or tween whose teeth and gums are still developing, damaged teeth and nerve damage aren’t reversible with a simple jewelry removal — they can result in lasting dental consequences.
The ADA also offered this advice: “Of course the best option is to consider removing mouth jewelry before it causes a problem. Don’t pierce on a whim. The piercing will be an added responsibility to your life, requiring constant attention and upkeep.”
What If You Already Have One?
Maybe your child already has a smiley piercing. Maybe they got one without telling you, or maybe you gave permission and now want to make sure they’re taking care of it properly.
The ADA recommends the following:
- Keep the piercing site clean and free of any matter that may collect on the jewelry by using a mouth rinse after every meal.
- Avoid clicking the jewelry against teeth and avoid stress on the piercing.
- Check the tightness of your jewelry periodically (with clean hands) to prevent swallowing or choking if the jewelry becomes loose.
- Remove the jewelry when taking part in sports.
- Brush twice per day and don’t skip routine dental visits.
Removing jewelry during sports is especially relevant for teens involved in athletics of any kind. Whether your child plays a contact sport or participates in activities like gymnastics or skating, loose or exposed mouth jewelry poses a choking and injury hazard.
Having the Conversation
Alysa Liu is an extraordinary athlete. Her accomplishments on the ice are genuinely historic, and it’s easy to understand why young people admire her.
But admiring an athlete and copying their choices are two different things — and a smiley piercing, especially one done at home, comes with real health risks that the ADA has specifically flagged.
You don’t need to make this an argument. Consider sharing the ADA’s specific warnings directly with your teen and letting the facts speak for themselves.
If your child is old enough to follow an Olympic champion on Instagram, they’re old enough to understand that even their favorite athletes sometimes make choices that health professionals advise against.
The goal isn’t to villainize Liu or dismiss your child’s interests. It’s to make sure they have the full picture before making a decision about their body — and to make clear that a DIY piercing at home is never a safe alternative to professional care.
Production of this article included the use of AI. It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.
