Tongue Piercings

In general, there are not that many risks associated with a tongue piercing due to its location and ability for the skin to stay fairly moist. One of the biggest concerns though is the fact that there is a fairly large vein which runs down the center of the tongue but assuming that you go to a qualified piercing technician, this should not be an issue at all. There may be some minor bleeding associated with the initial piercing but should subside within a few minutes.

In general, you as the owner of the piercing will notice that the barbell may not be straight, but most people will not really notice except in the rare occasions that the piercing heals very crooked. This un alignment is attributed to the frenulum which is that flap of skin on the underside of the tongue which keeps the tongue in place. This is also where the vein is and therefore the piercing will go to either side of this webbing. This offset caused by the frenulum is what causes the piercing to appear crooked.

Of all the potential risks associated with a tongue piercing, the biggest is the possibility of teeth and gum damage. Teeth can easily be cracked and damaged by the natural reaction of the tongue wanting to play with the piercing. Furthermore, the jewelry itself can cause the alkaline in the mouth to rise which in turn may cause the gums to decay a bit. Most of this can be prevented by ensuring the jewelry you choose is of quality materials and is of the right length so as to not allow the potential of playing with the barbell excessively.

While many people are in the misconception that the mouth is dirty and as a result that is why we need to brush, this is far from the truth as the saliva in each and everyone’s mouth has one goal in life, and that is to protect the body from the bacteria and infections that can occur from eating certain foods. It is because of the saliva that allows the tongue piercing to heal so quickly.

There is still going to be the chance of severe bleeding as a result of the piercing as well as potential nerve damage. This can be prevented by choosing an experienced technician. Furthermore, the chance of an infection is still fairly high regardless of the saliva protecting the mouth. It is important to use a good mouth rinse to help protect the piercing even further. There is going to be pain associated with the tongue piercing but in general this will subside within a few days. The swelling that occurs from the piercing may be substantial enough to block the airway, but this is a rare occurrence. There will always be the potential of a choking hazard as long as the jewelry is in the mouth as well as the potential of tooth damage cause by the jewelry.