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Originally Published: March 30, 2001 - Last Updated / Reviewed On: August 17, 2007

Dear Readers,

Tongue paralysis has never been reported as a complication of oral body art, but there are other documented side effects to consider. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), tongue piercing typically causes:

• pain
• inflammation
• infection
• greater saliva production

Less common side effects include:

• injury or shrinkage of gums
• damage to teeth, fillings, and other dental work
• difficulty chewing or swallowing
• prolonged blood loss immediately after procedure
• possibility of disease transmission, such as hepatitis

No systematic research has been done on the after effects of tongue art, so it's impossible to say how likely it is that any one person will experience any of these problems. However, the ADA officially does not support piercing in or around the mouth because of the potential for serious side effects.

If you do decide to get your tongue adorned, considering that body art studios are unregulated by most states, check them out carefully, paying particular attention to the following safer piercing guidelines:

• the business is licensed and established, with separate clean, tidy, and well lit rooms for procedures
• trained and experienced piercers use new gloves and a fresh disposable needle for each procedure (never go to a place that uses piercing guns � they are more difficult to clean and inflict greater tissue damage)
• an autoclave and ultrasonic cleanser for sterilizing instruments are on the premises
• all of your questions and concerns are answered openly and directly. If you're unsatisfied or uncomfortable with the answers, or can't get them at all, go somewhere else.

Tongues are typically pierced by running a needle through the front third of the tongue, from top to bottom (taking care to avoid the blood vessels on the underside of the tongue), usually without an anesthetic. A barbell shaped piece of jewelry is then inserted through the hole created by the needle. The jewelry, which is longer than usual to accommodate swelling, must be made of one of the following materials:

• surgical stainless steel
• titanium
• 14- or 18-karat solid gold
• niobium

Aftercare for the 4 - 6 weeks it usually takes tongue piercings to heal is complicated. Key aspects include:

• cleansing the mouth at least a dozen times a day with a diluted mouthwash for one minute, including always rinsing after eating, smoking, and drinking. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide and mouthwashes that are high in alcohol.
• washing hands before touching the piercing (contacting it as little as possible, too)
• sticking to a soft foods diet for the first week after the procedure
• not having any kind of oral sex activity and open mouth kissing for 4 - 6 weeks
• not applying any antibiotics to the site because the ointments, creams, or gels are hard to remove from piercings, which could cause microorganisms to become trapped within them. Instead, a liquid antiseptic oral cleanser used twice a day, on both sides of the piercing, for about a couple of weeks is often recommended.
• sucking on some ice or drinking ice water, which can help with the swelling
• using a warm, low sea salt concentration solution to soak piercings
• going to a health care provider immediately if there's:
  • abnormal or unusual appearance features, such as redness or inflammation that go beyond a quarter-of-an-inch circumference from the piercing
  • thick fluid oozing from the site that's yellow-green in color
  • extensive bleeding
  • a feeling of heat or red streaks radiating from the site
  • persistent or increased tenderness, discomfort, or pain

If you remove jewelry from a piercing before it is completely healed, or when it is infected, it will close up rapidly, and more often than not result in negligible scarring. In cases of infection, it's better not to remove the barbell in order to encourage proper healing and minimize potential for problems. Piercings that are older or larger in size will get smaller, but probably will not close completely even when jewelry is left out. In these instances, scar tissue inside piercings may develop, which may look like a small indentation and feel like a bump in the skin. With time, these scars often become more supple and decrease in size.

For more information about body piercings in general, check out:

Association of Professional Piercers (APP)

888.515.4APP (-4277)