Image source: http://rentajump.com/slices/1.jpg
We humans have been fascinated with body piercings throughout our history and across our various cultures. After all, our bodies provide a very personal canvass for self-adornment and expression. Lately, though, young people have moved from ear piercing to tongue piercing, and that has dentists swapping horror stories about all they have seen that has gone wrong.
Tongue piercings are often maintained with the insertion of miniature barbells through the tongue. Although the general dentists who have to deal with the aftermath of these insertions would rather people avoided this practice altogether, they recognize it is not going away. They do want to warn about some possible complications of the procedure:
Severe bleeding can occur if the needle is inserted in the wrong spot, puncturing one of the many blood vessels in the tongue. Infection - the mouth is a very dirty place, loaded with bacteria. Also, improperly sterilized instruments can introduce still more bacteria. Nerve damage A severely inflamed and swollen tongue , usually due to an infection, that can interfere with normal speech Extreme drooling - not an attractive thing
If you're ready to go ahead anyway, do your homework on where to get it done. Make sure the practitioner is qualified and the facility uses best hygiene practices. Your barbell should be made of stainless steel, titanium or gold niobium (similar to titanium, but softer and more expensive). Dentists would like to see you use plastic, because the constant contact between metals and the surface of your teeth can cause a lot of damage.
Even if the piercing goes well, it is imperative that proper care is taken of this addition to your mouth's topography. While the 4 to six week healing is going on, exquisite care must be taken to rinse your mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash and remove the barbell daily for cleaning. During this time it would not be advisable to visit your dentist for a teeth whitening or other routine dental work. Your tongue is already irritated enough - best to leave it alone and let it heal.
There are still more hazards to consider. That little metal object can fracture teeth, especially if you have a habit of rolling it around like an oral worry bead. Your gums can also be abraded - sometimes surgery is required to repair this barbell bashing. If the jewelry comes loose, it can pop right down your throat and might need to be retrieved. The experience of having a bronchoscope maneuvered down your throat is not pleasant.
Other complications include obstruction of your airway due to extreme tongue inflammation and swelling. If an abscess forms, it can spread and it has been reported that some severe infections have even led to brain abscesses.
Dentists think a great smile with healthy, sparkling teeth is a better beauty enhancement than piercings, and might even suggest looking into bonded tooth jewelry - applied to the tooth much like braces. If you are determined to add some tongue jewelry, though, do your homework; keep your mouth and barbell clean; and do not hesitate to see your dentist immediately at the first sign of trouble.
