What Are the Dangers of Tongue Rings?

Although tongue rings are considered fashionable, it doesn't change the fact that your body is wounded and has to heal after getting the piercing. Having one put in can be risky, even if the equipment is clean and the person doing the piercing is experienced.

Pain

• The piercing itself is extremely painful, and some find themselves in perpetual pain afterward; the Associated Press reports that one teen felt horrendous stabbing pains in her face until she removed her piercing.

Bleeding

• Your tongue contains a network of arteries and veins, that if pierced badly enough, can cause severe bleeding or require medical attention to close it.

Disease

• If the piercing equipment isn't properly handled and sterilized, you can be at risk of contracting such diseases as hepatitis, HIV and herpes, which are typically caught through sexual contact.

Infection

• Infection can easily spread from your tongue, since it contains a lot of blood vessels, to major organs such as the brain, which is in close proximity to the tongue.

Inconvenience

• People have complained of being bothered by things like excessive drooling or difficulty speaking and chewing after getting a tongue ring.

Dental

• Dentists report seeing problems such as chipped teeth and damaged gums from the ring repeatedly hitting the teeth, which can cost a lot of money to fix.