Is your child begging you to let them get some new piercings? While some piercings are harmless when pierced and cared for properly, there are some piercings that can actually be dangerous to receive. One of those dangerous piercings is a tongue piercing.
Tongue Piercing – A Harmless Accessory or Needlessly Dangerous Decoration?
To some, a tongue piercing is seen as a harmless accessory that is minimally visible. The sad reality is that a tongue piercing is actually quite dangerous, and in some cases, can be life-threatening. Our dentist and team, as well as the American Dental Association® (ADA), advise against oral piercings.
The Concerns of Tongue Piercing
So what are the health concerns involved in tongue piercing? The first danger of any piercing is the prevalence of unlicensed piercing parlors. Visiting an unlicensed piercing parlor increases your risk of getting tetanus, tuberculosis and hepatitis.
Complications resulting from an oral piercing include:
- Bacterial infections
- Blood clots
- Blood poisoning
- Chronic pain
- Damaged nerves
- Fractures and cracked teeth
- Heart infections
- Hypersensitivity in the mouth
- Gum disease
- Gum recession
- Scaring
- Difficulty speaking normally
- Higher risk of tooth decay
- The possibility of the piercing ripping out of the tongue
What Do We Recommend?
At Daghlian Pediatric Dentistry & Sokolowski Orthodontics, we recommend avoiding all oral piercings. If you have any questions, Drs. Rita Daghlian and Paul Sokolowski would be happy to talk to you or your child about the dangers of oral piercings and the long-term consequences of getting one.
Feel free to reach out to our dental office in Huntington Beach, California, at 714-848-0234 if you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment.
