Do you want to pierce your tongue for the first time, but have questions about pain, cost, risks, or healing? Getting your tongue pierced is a fun step, but it can also be stressful. Here's the essential information to know before you get started.
The piercing has evolved a lot in recent years. In addition to traditional navel, nose and eyebrow piercings, there are new options that are developing more and more. A very popular piercing in the 90s, and which continues to be today, is the tongue piercing. As the name suggests, for this piercing, a piece of jewelry is inserted into the tongue. But not all tongue piercings are the same.
1 / The different types of tongue piercings
Did you know ? There are many places where the tongue can be pierced. There is of course the "classic" piercing which is in the middle of the tongue, but the options are numerous. Here is the list:
The classic piercing
The most typical of tongue piercings is a piercing that sits vertically in the middle of the tongue. In general, the jewelry for this kind of piercing is a bar with a ball on each side, and the length is 16 mm and the thickness is 1.2 to 1.6 mm.
The “venom” piercing
If the classic piercing is not original enough for you, you can try the "Venom Piercing" where two piercings are pierced through the tongue, one next to the other like eyes.
The superficial double piercing
The “Scoop piercing”, or “double superficial piercing”, looks like “Venom piercing”, but it is only a superficial piercing. This means that the jewel does not cross the tongue on either side, but only passes on the surface of the tongue, horizontally.
The surface piercing heals more quickly, usually after two weeks, but it can affect the perception of taste when you eat. The jewelry often consists of a bar bent at 90 degrees with a flattened ball.
The linguae frenulum piercing
Another kind of tongue piercing is the frenulum piercing, a small fold of tissue under the tongue. With this piercing, the small frenulum (which looks like a smiley face) is pierced under the tongue. Since jewelry frequently rubs against teeth and gums, teeth can be damaged. In addition, the frenulum may come off more easily with this piercing.
The jewelry in this piercing looks like a ring or a horseshoe. So that the jewelry does not disturb the inside of the mouth, it should be kept small.
The “snake eyes” piercing
This piercing is done at the end of the tongue and not in the middle. This piercing mimics the head of a snake with the tongue sticking out, hence the name "snake eyes".
Unfortunately this piercing is more risky. Not only can it take a long time to heal, the piercing can also lead to speech problems, loss of taste, and dental damage.
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Important: Whatever your choice of piercing, it is essential to choose an experienced professional to do it, in order to avoid serious inflammation. With tongue piercing in particular, care must be taken to pierce in the right place to avoid damaging the teeth and injuring the tongue frenulum. In addition, damage to the taste buds or impaired speech can occur if the procedure is not performed correctly.
These piercing models for an original tongue:
2 / How does the tongue piercing work?
First, the mouth is disinfected and the location of the hole is marked.
Then the tongue is blocked by forceps to prevent it from moving during the piercing. The tongue is pierced most often from the bottom up, with a special needle, and the piercing rod is inserted. Immediately after the piercing, the tongue will swell. Indeed, it is important that the piercer is of good size so as not to cause great pain on the wound, nor to disturb chewing and damage the teeth.
3 / How painful is it?
The pain of a tongue piercing varies from person to person. Since the tongue is relatively thick and contains many nerves, this piercing tends to be more painful than an ear piercing that simply goes through the skin. But professionals are used to it, so the pain at the moment should pass quickly, but discomfort will appear within hours. To alleviate the pain, the cold from an ice cube is supposed to help and may provide relief for the first few days.
4 / Possible risks
No piercing is risk-free. Whether it is belly button, ear or lip piercings, tissue is pierced and can therefore become infected. The most common complications are inflammations, infections or allergic reactions. But other side effects can also occur.
Damage to teeth and gums
The greatest risk from tongue piercing is to the teeth, enamel, and gums, as the jewelry constantly touches them, whether talking, chewing, or playing with them. This can lead to enamel wear or the formation of fine cracks. And once the enamel is damaged, the teeth become more sensitive. In extreme cases, a tongue piercing can lead to tooth rupture, injury to the neck and roots of the teeth, or even displacement of the teeth.
To avoid these dental problems, avoid metal jewelry and instead opt for plastic models which, if they wear out faster, do not damage the teeth.
Slurred speech (zozing)
In addition to dental damage, a tongue piercing can also cause joint problems if the jewelry in the mouth restricts the mobility of the tongue. For this reason, sometimes individual letters, like the "S", are no longer pronounced correctly.
Loss of taste
The tongue has many taste buds that can be damaged with a piercing. Depending on the location of the jewel, in rare cases loss of taste is possible. Venom piercing poses this particular risk, as most of the nerves are located on the sides of the tongue, not in the middle.
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5 / The right reflexes
To avoid this damage, here are some tips to follow:
- Have your tongue pierced by a professional,
- Choose synthetic jewelry,
- Do not play with the piercing in the oral cavity,
- Avoid holding the piercing ball with your incisors,
- Do not rub the piercing with your teeth,
- Make regular visits to the dentist, in order to recognize possible damage when there is still time,
- In the event of a dental lesion, remove your tongue jewelry immediately.
6 / The piercing is infected: what to do?
Inflammations usually occur quite rarely. Your piercing is infected if:
- The puncture site is very red, ulcerated and oozing fluid,
- The tongue is swollen and painful,
- The lymph nodes in the neck are swollen,
- A white layer forms on the tongue.
If your tongue swells at the piercing, you should avoid contact. It is also helpful to drink cooled chamomile tea, avoid acidic, spicy, and dairy foods, and speak very little so that the piercing can rest.
If the discomfort does not improve after two days, immediately go to a piercing studio (ideally the one that pierced you) or to a doctor.
7 / How much does a tongue piercing cost?
The costs of the tongue piercing depend on the type of piercing you choose. Also, prices vary depending on the studio. For a classic tongue piercing, including jewelry and care, it usually takes between 45 and 70 euros. To check, normally you can find the price on the studio's website. Take the opportunity to see what rating the piercing salon has on search engines.
8 / Healing and appropriate care
The tongue piercing normally scars in four to eight weeks. But in some cases it may take longer. To avoid problems during the healing process, there are several precautions to take.
- Do not touch the piercing with your unwashed fingers,
- Speak as little as possible during the first few days,
- Disinfect your mouth after each meal to prevent bacteria build-up,
- Brush your teeth regularly and carefully,
- Avoid nicotine and alcohol for seven days after the piercing,
- Also avoid acidic and spicy foods, as well as dairy products so as not to promote irritation. Liquid foods are recommended during the healing phase of the piercing,
- Ice cubes and cold chamomile teas help fight swelling.
9 / Recommended foods
In order not to irritate the piercing at first, some types of food are better than others.
It is advisable to avoid spicy foods and dairy products, as they contain bacteria that can inflame the wound left open by the piercing. The acidity of the fruit also has a detrimental effect on wound healing. It is also best to avoid very hot and very cold foods. If the tongue remains swollen at first, it is advisable to stay on porridge and more liquid foods, such as soups and mash.
10 / Changing jewelry: which ones are appropriate?
Once the piercing has completely healed, the medical jewelry inserted during the piercing can be changed with other jewelry of your choice. The jewelry choices depend on the type of piercing.
For tongue piercing, jewelry is straight barbell style with a length of about 16mm and a shank thickness of about 1.2-1.6mm are suitable.
The thickness of the ball at the end of the Barbell is usually 5-6mm. It is also recommended to use a Bioflex jewel, that is to say an autoclave jewel, which is more flexible and less aggressive towards the teeth. But among the Barbells, there are many models available.
11 / Will the piercing close if I remove it?
If the jewelry is removed, the time for the piercing to seal depends on where it is and how long it has been worn. Most piercings reseal after a few days and usually leave a small scar if you remove them.
In addition to this, you need to know more about it.Important note: the information in this article is provided for information only and does not replace a diagnosis made by a doctor. If you have any doubts, urgent questions or complaints, you should contact your doctor.