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What Are the Dangers of a Tongue Ring?

Tongue piercing has been around since the days when Aztec and Mayan cultures performed it ritually. However, it wasn't until the 1980s that piercing for the sake of being fashionable started to become popular. For some young people, getting a tongue ring is a great opportunity to rebel against their parents. For others, getting a tongue ring may just be a form of self-expression. No matter the reason, tongue piercing poses some risks that should be considered before the procedure is done.

  1. Infection or Disease

    • Going to a studio that uses less-than-sterile piercing instruments (or trying to pierce yourself with an unsterile needle) is dangerous. Unsterile equipment or improper care of a new piercing can cause a tongue ring to become infected. In a fresh wound, this infection can spread into the blood stream if it is not addressed by a medical professional as soon as it is noticed. Additionally, a studio that uses unsterile instruments may also use the same equipment on multiple people. This increases your chance of catching a blood-transmitted disease.

    Bleeding and Nerve Damage

    • If the person piercing your tongue is inexperienced, he may accidentally puncture an artery or vessel. This accident can cause a lot of bleeding that constitutes a medical emergency. If a nerve is punctured, long-term nerve damage may result. Tongue nerve damage can be painful or it can cause portions of the tongue to feel numb.

    Choking Hazard

    • If the "ball" at the end of a tongue ring barbell is not screwed in tightly enough, it will likely unscrew itself completely. If this happens and you aren't able to catch it in time by using your tongue or by retrieving it with your fingers, you will either swallow it or choke on it.

    Tooth Wear

    • A very common risk of getting a tongue ring is tooth wear. Most people with tongue rings like to "play" with the jewelry in their mouths by running it across their teeth and biting on it. They also typically eat while still wearing their tongue rings. Both of these habits can cause teeth to wear down and chip.

    Receding Gums

    • Dentists also commonly find that people who wear tongue rings develop a receding gum line over time due to the tongue ring rubbing against the gums.

    Tips

    • Do your homework. If you still want to get a tongue ring, make sure you get the piercing performed at a credible, clean studio. Take care of your new piercing. Take the advice given to you in the pamphlet handed to you at the studio. If you do not receive such a pamphlet, look up care instructions on the Internet and adhere to them. If you dare, discuss getting a tongue ring with your primary care physician and/or dentist. It may not be something they condone, but they may be able to offer tips that will help keep your health intact. Most dentists recommend not getting an oral piercing at all, but some will recommend that if you must get one, make sure it is plastic and not metal. This helps reduce some of the harmful effects of biting down on or swallowing hard metal.

    Warning

    • Any studio that uses a "gun" instead of a needle to perform body piercings is probably not credible. Go elsewhere.

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