Tongue Piercing

There was a time when piercings were so uncommon that if you had one, you were one of few. This is not the case today. Many of us now have some king of piercing somewhere upon our bodies. In fact some tattoos and piercings are now so common that you are more individual if you don't have one. It's a good idea, generally speaking, to go for something different.

Tongue piercings are relatively commonplace these days but remain ever popular. The British Dental Association says that such tongue piercings can cause infections and even broken teeth.

So there is an associated risk of infection with a tongue piercing, more so than a normal piercing due to its close proximity to the airway. Any infection can result in swelling of the tongue as well.

To minimize the risk of any potential infection, it is generally advised that brushing is important so that the tongue does not become inflamed. Mouthwash is also useful in cleaning the parts of the mouth that brushing does not always effectively clean or even reach.

Sterilisation of piercing equipment is also vitally important when considering a tongue piercing. This process is done using an autoclave but not all piercers use it as it's relatively expensive to purchase. More reputable piercers should use such equipment so its worth checking that out also.

Reported problems after tongue piercings have been done, according to the EPPA, are relatively low, although I suspect many dentists would confirm problems with teeth due to the hard studs causing cracking and similar problems.. Once you have had your tongue piercing done, it generally takes around three weeks for it to heal. This is considerably less time than a belly button piercing takes to heal. For more information on tongue piercings, please visit our site.