Tongue Piercing

Tongue piercing is a fashion statement that will come and go just as any other fad. Unfortunately, there are some lasting problems with the practice, long after the piercing is allowed to close and heal completely.

One of the problems with any kind of moving object in the mouth (like a tongue ball or tongue ring), is that it is constantly rubbing on the teeth and gums. No way to stop that.

Eventually, this constant rubbing causes the teeth or gums to wear away in certain specific areas. The only way to repair the irreversible damage is with either gum surgery or major fillings.

Here is a photo of the typical kind of gum problem that develops on the back of the lower teeth in folks who wear a tongue piercing. You can see the arrows point to places on the back of the teeth where the gums have developed a deep cleft. They will not grow back there and will eventually recede to the point of painful exposure of the root of the tooth.  Only a graft of tissue from the roof of the mouth will cover the sight successfully. Quite a project for the sake of “fashion” !