Tongue piercing

Is tongue piercing safe?

Tongue piercings and under tongue piercings in particular are one of the most popular types of piercing and when they’re done right they’re not as painful as you might think. They’re also pretty safe so long as you follow proper piercing aftercare procedures, like being careful until the piercing has healed to avoid infection. Let’s wrap our lips around some tongue piercing facts.

Types of tongue piercings

There are a few different types of tongue piercings, including under tongue piercing, otherwise known as a frenulum piercing, tip of the tongue piercing and the classic midline tongue piercing (straight through the middle). They’re all pretty similar in terms of what happens when you get it done.

Tongue piercing healing

Whether you get an under tongue piercing, a midline, or anything else, it can take up to four weeks for your tongue piercing to heal. An infected tongue piercing is not ideal, so it’s a good idea to be cautious in the weeks following your piercing. Warm salt water is good for rinsing the mouth after meals and try to avoid snogging and sharing cutlery or food so you don’t pick up any bacterial infections. It’s also best to avoid hot drinks, spicy and acidic things. It’s normal for the tongue to swell up a bit during the healing process, so don’t panic if that happens. And be careful not to choke on your new piercing, make sure it’s secure!

Is there an age limit for tongue piercing?

Other than for genital piercings, there are no restrictions on piercing ages in the UK, so there’s no age limit for tongue piercing. Some piercing places will have their own guidelines and might refuse to pierce you if they feel you’re too young as they probably don’t want angry parents knocking on their door yelling at them.

The British Body Piercing Association has a Code of Practice and Ethics for their members. This includes not giving anybody a piercing under the age of 14 years. If you’re 14 to 16 you must bring a parent or guardian. Also, piercings below the neck and on tongues at this age are carried out at the discretion of the piercer. Those aged 16 and over are treated as adults.

Since some piercing places may decide to set higher age limits, you’re best if you speak to a piercer in your area to find out the required minimum age of their customers.

Learn more about tattoo and piercing ages here.

Is tongue piercing safe?

Tongue piercing is usually perfectly safe but there are some possible risks to teeth and overall health, including chipped teeth or infections. The British Dental Journal warns that oral piercing can not only damage teeth but can have many other health complications including pain, swelling, bleeding, bad breath, infection or even blood poisoning. Most people will be fine providing they go to a professional piercer and following proper aftercare practice.

To stay safe, check that your piercer is going to use a brand new, packaged, sterilised needle. They should also have clean hands and wear disposable latex gloves to prevent the risk of infection.

You should always use a person who specialises in piercing and is registered with your local council.

Check out the rest of The Mix’s ‘your body’ articles here. Chat about this subject on our discussion boards.