Tongue piercing

introduction

A variant of piercing is the tongue piercing. To do this, the tongue is pierced completely. There are different types of tongue piercings, they differ from one another in size, shape, stitch point and material. Before pricking you should be well informed about the process, the subsequent healing phase, care and possible risks. In this way, painful and possibly persistent complications can be avoided.

The act of stinging

The process of Stinging should while sitting be performed. This allows one Fainting can be prevented by circulatory collapse. In addition, the piercer has the best possible working conditions. Before the jump, the desired position marked and the Fixed tongue. The entire work step should be under sterile conditions drain to avoid infection. People who want to be pierced are allowed under no anticoagulant therapy (blood thinner how: Marcumar ®, ASS, Heparin), otherwise there is a risk of dangerous bleeding.

The most common is the vertical Middle of the tongue pierced, this is where the risk of damage to the taste buds is lowest, as very few there annoy pull along. In addition, none of the Tongue muscles pierced, because these also run along the side of the center line. Furthermore, when pricking a tongue piercing, care must be taken that the Tongue frenulum (Frenulum), which is the underside of the tongue on the Lower jaw attached, to protect.

There is also the option of piercing the tongue laterally, at the tip, or horizontally. In this case, significantly more sensitive structures like Blood vessels, Muscles and annoy be respected. Therefore, such a lancing process should only be carried out by an extremely experienced piercer.

Due to the initial swelling that enlarges the tongue, it initially becomes a extra long pen (Barbell) inserted and a Plastic cap unscrewed to avoid crushing. This minimizes pain and the risk of tooth damage. The pain when stinging varies from person to person, but is usually limited.

Tongue piercing healing and care

The healing process is very different, but in general you can assume a healing time of three to six weeks. As soon as the tongue is swollen, a shorter pin should be used, so the piercing is less mobile and the teeth are less damaged.

Since piercing pierces the tongue and thus opens the barrier between the body and the environment, it is important to observe some rules, especially in the healing phase, in order to prevent infections and not hinder healing. Acidic foods such as fruit juices, foods that are too hot, too cold or spicy should be avoided as otherwise the wound surface is irritated and healing is slowed down. As a result, scarring can occur. In particular, you should refrain from consuming alcohol and nicotine. Dairy products naturally contain bacteria. These actually do not pose a threat to the human body. However, it is advisable to avoid them during the healing process, as bacteria can easily penetrate the body through the wound surface.

The stinging makes the tongue very sensitive during healing and it is advisable to switch to liquid or pasty food during this time.It is advisable to rinse your mouth thoroughly after every meal. As long as the puncture site has not healed, contact with body fluids, especially oral sex, is not recommended. If the tongue is swollen too much, you can try ice cubes or soothing teas such as chamomile to help. To prevent infection, mouthwashes containing phenoxyethanol or polyhexanide can be used. The piercing should be removed, cleaned and disinfected two to three times a day, especially at the beginning.

Risks

Damage to nerves and blood vessels

In general, the risk of complications is significantly increased due to the incorrect approach to pricking or care. The tongue is criss-crossed by many different ones Nerve fibers. Mention should be made here annoy, which serve the muscle movement of the tongue, these come from twelfth cranial nerve „Hypoglossal nerve". There are also sensitive nerves that transmit signals of tactile, warmth and pain perception. These belong to the fifth „Trigeminal nerve" and ninth cranial nerve „Glossopharyngeal nerve". The third type of nerve runs in the tongue sensory partsthat are responsible for the sense of taste. These are parts of the seventh cranial nerve "Facial nerve", The ninth cranial nerve"Glossopharyngeal nerve"And the tenth cranial nerve"Vagus nerve“.

If one of the above-mentioned nerve cords is damaged when the tongue is pierced, it happens specific failure symptoms. So it can too Muscle paralysis in part of the tongue, Numbness or Taste disorders come. With the latter, the Strength of a flavor, such as sweet, be reduced, or in the worst case even fail completely. However, it must be said that Nerve damage generally rarely occur. By engaging an experienced piercer and stabbing the middle of the tongue, the risk is significantly reduced.

This can be another complication when stinging Injuring a blood vessel be. These are very numerous in the well-perfused tongue. To be mentioned here are those Tongue basal artery (Arteria profunda linguae) and Sublingual artery (Sublingual artery), which its inflow from the tongue artery (Lingual artery) Respectively. The latter is a branch from the external carotid artery (External carotid artery). Most of the drainage takes place via the "Vena linguae“.

Tooth damage

Also Injury to the gums and excessive salivation are often observed. However, these phenomena (symptoms) usually subside during - but at the latest at the end of the healing process. Since the piercing is a foreign body that the wearer is not used to, at least initially, it can Speech disorders, For example lisp, come. Very often this is not a long-term problem. Some piercing wearers tend to play with the ball of the piercing. They hold them with their front teeth and / or suckle on them. This can lead to a Displacement of teeth come. If the ball is made of metal, this can lead to Damage to the enamel cause the ball is harder than the enamel. Can result Sensitivity to cold or heat up to Caries be. The risk of this can be increased by using a Plastic ballwhich is softer than tooth enamel can be significantly reduced. Also the pen should be a suitable length have. If this is too long, the teeth can also be damaged, if it is too short there is a risk that the ball will grow into the tongue.

Many dentists advise against tongue piercing, as it can put teeth and gums at risk. In addition, the stitch point increases the likelihood of a infection enormously. If you still have a piercing, you should go to regular dental examinations so that the dentist can remove the tongue piercing at the first signs of damage to teeth and / or gums. In addition to the cosmetic component, the tongue piercing is now also used for medical purposes. Researchers from the United States have developed a piercing that allows paraplegics to control an electric wheelchair.

allergy

There is also the risk of Allergy to the metal of piercing. The body produces antibodies against the triggering substance and starts one Inflammatory process around the piercing. In this case, the piercing must be removed immediately. titanium however, it is a metal that does not cause allergies and is therefore very popular. Also a Plastic piercing is intended to solve this problem and is also less risky to teeth and gums.

Other complications

Since the mucous membrane of the tongue and thus the body's own barrier to the environment is broken when the tongue is pierced, pathogens have a good opportunity to penetrate the body. Here are also - otherwise harmless - Microorganisms, like those of our own oral flora, pose a significant risk of infections. These can then spread and respiratory tract, brain and affect other organs, which can be severe under certain circumstances. The most common pathogens are here Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, or Streptococci. For example, if the latter over damaged oral mucosa in the blood circulation you can get there on Heart a Inflammation of the lining of the heart - a so-called Endocarditis lenta - cause.

It often occurs in the healing phase following the sting Pain and Swellingwhich can have a strong influence on everyday life. In the worst case, the swelling can be so severe that the airways are blocked. If necessary, artificial ventilation via intubation - i.e. the introduction of a tube into the windpipe - or an incision in the windpipe - an artificial access to the windpipe - is necessary.