Tongue Piercing Advice

Luxy

I've been thinking about getting my tongue pierced for the past few months, but I'm still undecided. I was wondering if any artists, or anyone else with a tongue piercing, might give me some advice!

Can you recommend any really reliable piercing studios around Dublin or surrounding areas? I'd like to get it done in the best place possible, you can't put a price on quality work.

I used to have a lip piercing, labret, and I loved it, but I found myself playing with it and I ultimately ended up chipping one of my bottom front teeth. Has anyone else found themselves playing with their tongue piercing and damaging their teeth?

In relation to the above question - I know you can get acrylic jewellery for tongue piercings. What are people's opinions of these, i.e. the pros & cons. I'm wondering if damage to teeth might be less likely with a plastic bar.

How common is infection, of any kind, with a tongue piercing? I followed the "mouth piercing" after care procedures with my lip and never experienced any kind of infection with it, but I'm figuring a tongue piercing could be a lot more delicate.

Has anyone found their speech or eating habits affected by a tongue piercing, or seen it affected in other people?

I've noticed that different people I've met with normal tongue piercings seem to have them placed in vastly different areas of the tongue. Some are very close to the tip, whereas some are very far back. Is this choice on their part, the decision of the artist, or just what suits their tongue?

With my tongue, the frenulum is practically nonexistent. Would this have any affect on the placement of a piercing.


I don't expect everyone to answer all of these questions, but any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks to you all in advance!
Luxy

Will

Luxy wrote: »

I've been thinking about getting my tongue pierced for the past few months, but I'm still undecided. I was wondering if any artists, or anyone else with a tongue piercing, might give me some advice!

Can you recommend any really reliable piercing studios around Dublin or surrounding areas? I'd like to get it done in the best place possible, you can't put a price on quality work.

I used to have a lip piercing, labret, and I loved it, but I found myself playing with it and I ultimately ended up chipping one of my bottom front teeth. Has anyone else found themselves playing with their tongue piercing and damaging their teeth?

In relation to the above question - I know you can get acrylic jewellery for tongue piercings. What are people's opinions of these, i.e. the pros & cons. I'm wondering if damage to teeth might be less likely with a plastic bar.

How common is infection, of any kind, with a tongue piercing? I followed the "mouth piercing" after care procedures with my lip and never experienced any kind of infection with it, but I'm figuring a tongue piercing could be a lot more delicate.

Has anyone found their speech or eating habits affected by a tongue piercing, or seen it affected in other people?

I've noticed that different people I've met with normal tongue piercings seem to have them placed in vastly different areas of the tongue. Some are very close to the tip, whereas some are very far back. Is this choice on their part, the decision of the artist, or just what suits their tongue?

With my tongue, the frenulum is practically nonexistent. Would this have any affect on the placement of a piercing.


I don't expect everyone to answer all of these questions, but any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks to you all in advance!
Luxy

Reliable and professional piercing studio - Snakebite middle abbey street (in my opinion, others will vary)

I play with my tongue piercing very irregularly because it can chip your teeth, i just leave it as is most of the time.

Acrylic jewellery - not a fan of it in tongues. Stick with titanium, as long as you don't play with it you won't chip your teeth.

Tongue piercings are not problematic once you follow the after care given to you by the studio.

Speech and eating affected only during healing/first 2 weeks, once it's healed back to normal.

Placement of the tongue piercing varies from piercer to piercer and your own anatomy. Most places will do it as far back as possible without impeding on you.

If you have hardly any frenulum it shouldn't really effect it much, they will mark it so the barbell comes to the left or the right of your frenulum.

There ya go

Luxy

Thanks Will!
I've heard nothing but good things about Snakebite too, I'll probably go with them! :P

Will

Go in check for yourself. They're my studio of choice nowadays

Adiboo

Where is Snakebite exactly? Is it the place in the clothing store?

Not very familiar with Dublin and plan on getting pierced there next week.

Will

Nah that's connected.
It's opposite arnotts on the same street as connected, 3rd floor beside twisted pepper

Zillah

I never use metal piercings these days. The bar is still metal but the heads are always plastic. I find that I can (very rarely) bite down on it when I'm eating and it's a horrible sensation, but far less horrible if it's plastic. And the plastic ones come in all sorts of fancy colours and designs which is fun. I found a super reflective green one that you can't help but notice.

Speech for me is only affected if I have a piercing with a very long bar or very large head in. Small head and short bar and I completely forget I have it in.

As for after care, just rinse your mouth several times a day with non-alcoholic mouthwash and you're good to go.

As for placement, it generally depends on your tongue. For example, mine had to be tiny bit off centre on the underside because of a vein but you'd never notice. I'd say how far forward or back it is is similar.

Luxy

Thanks for that too Zillah
Biting down on it is something I hadn't anticipated.
It's good to remember when I'm choosing my jewellery.

Gauge

Acrylic is useful if you're worried about biting down on the piercing as it will break before your teeth and will save you chipping or breaking them- but if your piercing rubs along your gumline or teeth acrylic will still wear away the enamel or gumline over time, so it's not without risk. It's also recommended for short term wear only- it's porous and it degrades in quality over time, making it susceptible to cracks and whatnot. There is talk of it being slightly toxic and carcinogenic, but I can't find any actual verified links to back this up right now. Like Will, I'm not a fan. If I'm going to have something in my mouth 24/7 I'd rather it be a material which is guaranteed safe, like titanium, than something which could be slightly iffy.

Granted this are all small risks, but from your first you seem to be open to information so there you go I personally prefer to wear titanium or high quality steel. In the year and a half I've had my piercing I've bit the bar twice, and both of those times were while the original long bar for swelling was in. A well fitted and well placed barbell will cut down on your chances of damage dramatically.

Zillah

I've had mine pierced for nearly four years now, and only had a titanium piercing for the first few months. Any damage to my enamel was done in those first few months. I've had no problems in regards to toxicity or any of that bull. Then again I do have a large collection of different colours that I swap around depending on my mood.

I generally like to keep a slightly longer bar because it's more fun to play with but that increases the chances of biting down on it. Although I'd say it's been over a year since that's happened.

Luxy

Thanks again to everyone for your advice so far, this is all very helpful!
Gauge, what's your opinion on Zilla's method of wearing a metal bar with an acrylic attachment, as opposed to entirely metal piece?

Gauge

It's up to the individual. My lobes have reacted pretty badly to it so I'm not willing to test it in my mouth (plus aesthetically, I really don't like the look of it in oral piercings). There are more options than just balls for tongue piercings as well... I have flat metal discs for my tongue barbell (or, I did. I lost them but they were handy) and you can get 'smartie beads' that... well, are shaped like smarties. You can also get extra long labret studs for wearing in the tongue, which will have a flat base that can reduce the risk of gum/enamel erosion.

One thing to be aware of is that alcohol attacks acrylic. This isn't "bull". Acrylic glass/PMMA/Lucite just doesn't hold up against solvents, and alcohol will damage the jewellery over time, so you need to check it for damage occasionally- but that goes for all piercings regardless of material to be honest.

http://www.ridoutplastics.com/physpropofac.html
http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Acrylic

The risks are small, miniscule even and I'm not trying to scaremonger or blow things out of proportion. A lot of people are quick to claim acrylic as the perfect material for oral piercings due to it's softness, but it's not without it's own risks, and I know that I like to be informed about what I'm wearing

If you like the look of acrylic ends on a metal barbell, go for it (just make sure it's healed first!)

Zillah

Gauge wrote: »

One thing to be aware of is that alcohol attacks acrylic. This isn't "bull". Acrylic glass/PMMA/Lucite just doesn't hold up against solvents, and alcohol will damage the jewellery over time, so you need to check it for damage occasionally- but that goes for all piercings regardless of material to be honest.

Now that I didn't know. Suppose I've escaped this by frequently changing mine around so none of them have had a chance to dissolve.

One did fall apart but I think that was more due to it being a cheap product more than anything else, no problems with any of the others.

UnknownSpecies

hey, im thinking about getting my tongue done too, just wondering though, how much should i expect to pay?

Will

About €55 give or take €10 depending on the studio

Rob66

Got mine done in Wildcat Ink in Stephans Green about two months ago and im delighted. id definatly recommend them the woman who does it is very good and gave me loads of advice of how to speed up the healing process. its a bitch not eating for a few days but its worth it.

Rob66

as for the acrylic attachment.. thats the furry sorta ball yeah? i got a few of them but they annoyed the balls outta me after a few hours.

i was eating normally after 5 days... jus had to take my time!

UnknownSpecies

Will wrote: »

About €55 give or take €10 depending on the studio

nice one thanks! like i want to get it done a few days after the leaving, so would it seriously affect going out and drinking? or could i use a straw(ha) or anything like that?

-lala-

dorgasm wrote: »

nice one thanks! like i want to get it done a few days after the leaving, so would it seriously affect going out and drinking? or could i use a straw(ha) or anything like that?

Don't drink alcohol with a fresh tongue piercing. If your top priority when you plan to get it will be drinking, then get your tongue pierced some other time.

UnknownSpecies

ok then how long should i wait until i drink, the very minimum like? lol

Will

dorgasm wrote: »

ok then how long should i wait until i drink, the very minimum like? lol

2-3 weeks

UnknownSpecies

yeah 2-3 weeks seems sensible, but ive heard lots of different things! like some people say oh sure leave it for a week and youll be grand, others say a month etc, and then theres others who say you can drink spirits as there is no chance of a yeast infection like you would get with beer!

Will

if you follow the aftercare advice perfectly 2-3 weeks, if you don't it will take longer

eeloe

I'v had mine done for nearly 10 years now, got it done when i was like 14 in a well respected studio in waterford, won't mention their name tho, as i lied to them about my age at the time to get it done!

There was little, or no pain when getting it done, which was great.

Mine is pierced diagonaly in my tongue pretty much to avoid veins and stuff...but im used to it now!

it only took about a week to heal up, i was eating normally then!

ten years later, my teeth are in bits from it.....i would take it out, but my teeth will still be in bits, so i just leave it in, i'v always had a titanium bar in it too...

Will

The arteries run parallel in the tongue generally, there should only be a slight angle where the tongue is pierced. to avoid the tongue webbing.



people's teeth only get destroyed if they insist on playing with the jewellery and rubbing it off their teeth. Having a bar that isn't sized properly won't help either as it will hit off your teeth when your eating or talking

Gauge

The hook is an optional part of the procedure.