Piercing Warning
Tongue Piercing: The Image Risk
Forty-seven percent of people who have worn tongue jewelry for four or more years have chipped teeth. This kind of damage can eventually send people to the dentist for fillings, crowns, root canals, or extractions. At eighteen, looking cool means a lot, but image is important in the business world, too. Because tongue jewelry can chip teeth, wearers may have to spend thousands of dollars on dental procedures to regain the smile they’ll want later in life the smile that can help them earn the money and achieve the success that will shape their adult lives.
Tongue Piercing: The Health Risk
The tongue is covered with bacteria, and when pierced, that bacteria can get in the bloodstream and underlying tongue tissues. This can cause serious infections. Unfortunately, tongue jewelry wearers may not be aware of a problem since the symptoms of infection, such as swelling, are similar to the aftereffects of piercing.
Furthermore, dentists have reported a rise in cases of Ludwigs angina, a severe infection of the floor of the mouth and jaws, in patients with tongue piercings. When Ludwigs angina occurs, the tongue may swell so much that it inhibits breathing. Another condition afflicting patients with pierced tongues is endocarditis, a disease caused when bacteria enters the bloodstream and infects and weakens heart valves. Since the tongue repeatedly rubs against the same areas, people with tongue piercings may develop mouth ulcers from constant irritation. These ulcers can result in oral cancer. Precancerous ulcers can only be detected during an oral cancer screening by the dentist.
Another problem that concerns the AGD is that few standards for body piercers exist. Dental offices adhere to strict OSHA and CDC guidelines for sterilization and infection control. How clean are the tools a piercing studio uses? You can’t be sure they’re clean at all. Contaminated piercing tools can put people at risk for serious infections like hepatitis and HIV
Furthermore, dentists have reported a rise in cases of Ludwigs angina, a severe infection of the floor of the mouth and jaws, in patients with tongue piercings. When Ludwigs angina occurs, the tongue may swell so much that it inhibits breathing. Another condition afflicting patients with pierced tongues is endocarditis, a disease caused when bacteria enters the bloodstream and infects and weakens heart valves. Since the tongue repeatedly rubs against the same areas, people with tongue piercings may develop mouth ulcers from constant irritation. These ulcers can result in oral cancer. Precancerous ulcers can only be detected during an oral cancer screening by the dentist.
Another problem that concerns the AGD is that few standards for body piercers exist. Dental offices adhere to strict OSHA and CDC guidelines for sterilization and infection control. How clean are the tools a piercing studio uses? You can’t be sure they’re clean at all. Contaminated piercing tools can put people at risk for serious infections like hepatitis and HIV
Tongue Piercing: Avoiding the Risks
If you still want to have your tongue pierced, we strongly encourage you to reconsider. However, if these statistics and risks haven’t changed your mind, follow a few precautionary guidelines to protect your oral and overall health: