Tongue Piercings and Your Oral Health
So
your teen wants to pierce their tongue?
If your teen wants to pierce their
tongue, you might ask if they have thought about the problems that can arise
from a pierced tongue. Chipped teeth, drooling, gum damage, nerve damage, taste
loss, tooth loss or infection could all occur as a result. The problems that
can arise from an oral piercing might surprise both of you. In fact, most
dentists discourage oral piercing because of these risks.
Chipped
teeth
Fractured teeth are a common problem
for people with tongue piercings. People chip teeth on tongue piercings while
eating, sleeping, talking and chewing, with the jewelry. The fracture can be
confined to the enamel of the tooth and require a filling or it may go deep
into the tooth, which may require a root canal or tooth extraction.
Swelling
It is not unusual for the tongue to
swell after being punctured, but in some cases the tongue swells so much that
it can cut off a person’s breathing. In rare cases, doctors may pass a
breathing tube through a patient's nose until the swelling subsides.
Infection
Infections from tongue piercings are
also common because the tongue is covered with bacteria. The moment the tongue
is punctured, these bacteria may be introduced into the blood. Dentists are
learning that oral infections can lead to infections in other parts of the body
as well. Bacteria can reach your heart and cause a variety of health problems.
A dentist or doctor should be consulted at the very first sign of infection.
Although any piercing is prone to
infection, a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health (January
2011) found that stainless steel jewelry can accumulate more bacteria than
jewelry made from plastics such as Teflon® (or
polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE). So, if your teen insists on getting an oral
piercing, wearing plastic jewelry rather than metal may pose less risk for
infection.
A dentist or doctor should be
consulted at the very first sign of infection.
Allergic
reactions
Make
sure that the piercer uses the right kind of metal, such as surgical-grade
stainless steel. Some people have allergic reactions to certain metals, which
can lead to further complications.
Keep
it clean
If your teen does decide to have
their tongue pierced, they should realize that it will take four to six weeks
to heal and it may be very uncomfortable. The piercer will place a larger,
starter “barbell” in the tongue to give it enough room to heal when the tongue
swells. After the swelling goes down, you should get a smaller barbell, which
will be less likely to get in the way of teeth and more difficult to chew on.
If there are no complications, the
barbell can be removed for short periods of time without the hole closing. Some
dentists suggest that to protect teeth patients should remove the barbell every
time they eat, sleep or engage in strenuous activity. Some piercing parlors
sell plugs that can be placed in the hole, so the barbell can be removed for as
long as necessary.
Your teen will need to keep the
piercing clean. She should use an antiseptic mouthwash after every meal and
brush the jewelry the same as she would her teeth to remove any unseen plaque.
So
You Want to Pierce Your Tongue? Academy of General Dentistry. Tongue Piercing: The Effect of
Material on Microbiological Findings, Journal of Adolescent Health (January
2011).