How do you know if your gums are deteriorating from lip piercing?

The area in question will be noticeably more recessed than the other gum lines around it. These are most prevalent in labret piercings, whereas tooth chipping and the like is more common with actual lip piercings. In many instances, this denotes that the rod of your jewelry is just a bit too long and the foot then rubs on the gums when eating and smiling in addition to many other things that you do throughout a day. Try to get a stud with a shorter post and see if that works. Still though, sometimes there is nothing to be done about this and you just have to retire the piercing for the greater good of your oral care.