samtsai.com

This is to follow up with my previous posting regarding Tongue Piercing.

Here is a good article discussing body piercing complications: Complications of Body Piercing¹, published in American Family Physician (a journal from American Academy of Family Physicians).

Complications of Mouth Piercing

Airway compromise, altered eating habits, gingival trauma, hematoma formation, increased salivary flow, infection, injury to salivary glands, interference with radiographs, loss of taste, Ludwig’s angina, pain, permanent numbness, speech impediments, tooth fracture or chipping, uncontrolled drooling

Source: see below

¹ Complications of Body Piercing. Am Fam Physician. 2005 Nov 15;72(10):2029-34.

Bookmark to:

Pierce Your Tongue with a Toothbrush for Good Oral Hygiene?

Tongue piercing has long been a thing that dentists do not recommend patients to have.

First, if it’s a metal ring, tongue piercing frequently leads to tooth chipping due to accidental biting on the piercing. This means more fillings and restorative work (and possibly replacement of porcelain crown if procelain gets chipped off). Ultimately, this translates to more dental treatment and more expenses.

Second, the metal piercing will interfere the quality of x-ray film. When taking a panorex, patient is advised to remove necklace and earrings, because they can obscure the anatomical structures. Now, to ask the patient to remove the tongue ring may be something s/he doesn’t like. As soon as the ring is removed, the pierced hole may be closed in a few seconds, minutes, or hours, depending on individual cases. Once the hole is closed, patient will have to re-do the piercing if s/he insists having a tongue piercing still…

Third, tongue piercing is getting fancier and fancier, and the material used to make the metal ring may be questionable and possibly hazardous to health. When people get their tongue pierced, they seldom inquire into the exact constituents of the ring, and the tongue piercing service providers probably don’t have the material specification either. Well, if you don’t know what it is, then don’t put it inside your mouth—simple as that.

Now, how about a toothbrush piercing?? On the surface, one may think it’s a cool idea and toothbrush piercing will help clean the teeth. Well, on the second thought, this is probably not the case. First, the pierce is small. How effective will its cleansing ability be? Second, the pierce itself can actually become a breeding ground for bacteria and plaque build-up. So, it creates more problems at the end.

Bookmark to: