Is Tongue Piercing for You?

Certain types of body piercing have existed continuously since ancient times. Today, in most cultures, body piercing has become more acceptable in the general population than ever before in history. Tongue piercing is especially popular with teens and young adults. Tongues are typically pierced by running a needle through the front third of the tongue, from top to bottom. Mouth jewelry, in the form of a removable stud, hoop or barbell-shaped device is inserted through the hole.

No systematic research has been done on the after effects of tongue art, so it's impossible to say how likely it is that there will be complications from a tongue piercing, however, the American Dental Association officially does not support piercing in or around the mouth because of the potential for serious side effects.

Negative effects from the piercing process or from wearing the jewelry can include pain, post-placement swelling, prolonged bleeding, gum injury, permanent numbness, and loss of taste and oral hygiene problems. More serious side effects include speech impediments, injury or shrinkage of gums, damage to teeth, fillings, and other dental work, difficulty chewing or swallowing, cysts and prolonged blood loss immediately after the procedure. Infection is always a possibility - after all, you're creating an open wound in your mouth - and includes the risk of contracting hepatitis, HIV and AIDS.

Tongue piercing also can result in an allergic reaction if the metals used in the jewelry are not of the highest quality. And even if the highest quality metal is used, all metal jewelry can injure the one thing that cannot easily be replaced, the beautiful enamel of your teeth. In a study done by a prominent university, of young adults who had worn a barbell through their tongue for at least 4 years, 47% had chipped teeth. Some studies show that the repeated bumping of the jewelry against teeth and gums causes gums to recede, setting the stage for periodontal (gum) disease.