Tongue pier
Tongue piercing
by Nasrina Parvin Khan
Tongue piercing is a kind of oral piercing which is getting popular among the ‘generation-y’ just after eyebrow piercing. Modern adventurous teens are trying to get this piercing for a distinct identity. It is one of the most adventurous as well as sexy body piercing.
ABOUT BODY PIERCING
Body piercing jewelries have
attained a popular place in Today’s
fashion Scenario. To worn a body
piercing jewelry a person should
have a pierced hole in the
particular part of his/her body.
Body piercing is a form of body art.
Usually people get pierced and worn
body piercing jewelry to give shapes
and enhance the beauty of the parts
of their body and get an attraction.
The style of body piercing is a year
old tradition and comes from tribal
society at the beginning. There are
various kinds of body piercing in
the tribes, like-ears, nose, cheeks,
throats etc. Body piercing have a
cultural significant in many
countries and communities.
TONGUE PIERCING
Tongue
piercing is a kind of oral piercing
which is getting popular among the
‘generation-y’ just after eyebrow
piercing. Modern adventurous teens
are trying to get this piercing for
a distinct identity.
HISTORY OF TONGUE PIERCING
There is a history associate with
tongue piercing. There was a ritual
of tongue piercing in both Aztec and
Maya cultures. Priests were piercing
their tongue and then either drawing
blood from it or passing rough
cords, designed to inflict pain
through the hole. But the permanent
or long term tongue piercing was not
practiced in Aztec or Maya cultures.
Permanent or long term tongue
piercing is the part of contemporary
culture. The origin of this piercing
is associated with “Gauntlet”, the
first professional body-piercing
studio in the United States,
formerly located in Los Angles,
California. This piercing is
practicing since the 1980s.
PLACEMENT OF TONGUE PIERCING
A tongue piercing is a type of
piercing which is done through the
tongue. It leaves a hole in the
tongue in the middle of the tongue.
A single piercing in the middle of
the tongue is most common form of
this piercing, but multiple piercing
are also possible.
The placement of the tongue piercing
is more difficult than others. In
time of tongue piercing the position
of muscles, veins, nerves and the
webbing below the tongue, known as
the ‘frenulum’ should be taken into
account. To reduce the risk of
damage of teeth and gums, the
position of jewelry must also be
taken into account. Off-center
piercing can be more risky and
complicated because they pass
through more muscle tissue.
So, the best position of tongue
piercing is the middle of the
tongue, slightly towards front of
the mouth, avoiding the two veins,
which run along the lower sides of
the tongue.
RISKS AND PREVENTION
To get a safely tongue piercing; it
should be performed by a
professional from a recognized
piercing studio. It is dangerous for
health to do piercing at home. The
piercing should have done by an
approved sterile body-piercing
needle.
If the piercing has done by correct
equipment, it is not as painful as
might be expected, like most others
piercing.
There are few risks in getting
tongue piercing.
Piercing with a non-sterile needle
can cause of liver disease called
Hepatitis-B, which is spread through
person-to-person contact with
infected blood or other body fluids.
So, all piercing should be done
professional who follow health and
safely guidelines that prevent the
spread of the disease.
If the vein is hit, prolonged
bleeding can occur. But a qualified
pierce should have no problem
avoiding blood vessels. Few bleeding
is normal. A medical professional
should be contacted if the bleeding
cannot be controlled.
Tongue piercing jewelry can cause
damage of teethe and gums. But it
can be reduce by proper placement
and using proper sized jewelry.
Avoiding of playing with the
piercing will helpful.
TONGUE PIERCING
HEALING TIME
Usually tongue piercing takes 4-6
weeks to getting heal. There is a
misconception that the tongue
piercing is more infection prone and
takes longer times than others to
heal because of the dirty nature of
the mouth. But the fact is that the
highly effective antiseptic nature
of saliva helps the pierce both to
protect from the infection and
promote healing. So the tongue
piercing heals faster than other
piercing.
AFTERCARE REGIMEN
Every piercing is infection prone as
is tongue piercing. A little amount
of soreness after tongue piercing
can be expected to last up a day. A
large amount of swelling may occur
3-7 days afterwards in case of
tongue piercing. It can be extremely
uncomfortable. So, it is important
to follow some special aftercare
regimen in case of tongue piercing
to prevent infection and heal
faster. But the aftercare of tongue
piercing is more complicated than
other piercing.
* Avoid the playing with tongue
piercing and don’t touch the tongue
for several weeks.
* To keep the area clean use an
antiseptic alcohol free mouthwash
2-3 times daily, as the
alcohol will irritate piercing and
slow healing.
* Rinse the pierce area with warm
salt water.
* Rinse the tongue eating after
something.
* Avoid eating hot, spicy foods,
taking alcohol, hot drinks, smoking
during the healing
process.
* Eat small amount of soft foods.
* To prevent infection use a
sterilized jewelry.
* The swelling must be shortening by
using a longer piece of initial
jewelry. Later, this can
be replaced by a shorter piece of
jewelry to prevent the healed
piercing from damaging of
teeth and gums.
* Clod water, sucking on ice will
help to migrate the swelling and
soreness.
After the tongue is fully healed one
can goes back to his/her regular
routine.
TONGUE PIERCING JEWELRY
Tongue rings and tongue barbells are
tongue-piercing jewelries. But the
tongue barbells are far better than
the rings because of the environment
of the mouth. The size of the
jewelry and comfort are important
due the action of tongue (like-
speech, eating, kissing etc).
Usually tongue piercing has done
with straight barbell style jewelry.
The beads at the end of the barbell
can be made of many decorative
materials.
POPULARITY
Tongue jewelry is visible only when
a person talks to other. It can make
an exotic, adorable impression with
your words. Today’s generation is
ready to accept the challenge to be
adventurous about any fashion trend.
So, tongue piercing is getting
popular among them.
Due to these reasons it is becoming
widely accepted. Singers, Films and
TV personalities are also following
this trend. Mel B of ‘Spice
Girls’ has a tongue pierce which
indicates her adventurous
personality.
More Tongue Piercing Resources
BBC: Tongue Piercing may be fatal
