Tongue piercing

[FameMonster]

Hey guys,

Sorry if I placed this in the wrong thread but I have a question.
I really want a tongue piercing, and when I talked to my mom about it tonight, she got really bummed and hoped that I was kidding and stuff, because she thinks it's really crude and a mutilation of my body. I'm 19 now and I can decide for myself if I want one or not.

A friend of mine got her tongue pierced but she did it while her parents didn't know anything about it. After they discovered she had it obviously they got into a fight but later on they seemed okay again.

I don't want to do that with my parents. I wanna give them the feeling I trust them and not to do it behind their backs but now they don't approve. Although I don't need their approval to legally get my tongue pierced, I kinda feel like I'm letting them down if I do get one.

You know, I am a guy who can act on his impulses very fast. I'm sorry I don't know how to explain that right. Uuhm, if I have an idea, I can act on it like five seconds later without really thinking it through.
And since a piercing is kind of a big deal to me, I want myself not to act without thinking and so I'm planning to get the piercing in the summervacation. That gives me enough time now to really think everything through and if I want the piercing then as bad as I want it now, then I'll do it.

But my mom said, wait until you are 21 (I'm 19 now). And I don't want to wait for two years, I mean, I want to wait to think it through but untill summer is my limit. Besides, I choose to (maybe) get my tongue pierced because: 1) It looks amazing (or at least I think so) and 2) you can get it out any time you want. Leave it out for more then a day and the tongue is healed again and you barely see a piercing was there.
Don't get me wrong, my mom is amazing and she really doesn't mind that I am gay, but she does mind that I want a piercing because she associates piercings with bad people and drug addicts and stuff (no offense to anyone), but do you think if I take one, I can convince my mom that is just a random stereotype she has in her head and that people with piercings are just as normal as everyone else?

And by the way, how do you think a tongue piercing looks on a guy??

Sorry for this long story, but I could really use some advice! Thanks!
Xoxo

 

[SayWhat]

There are a few things to take into consideration here:

A) It's my opinion that if your mom is supporting you, her opinion matters. Whether you're 13 or 30, it's that "As long as you're under my roof" law. However, like you said, you're an adult. So take her advice into consideration, but make the choice for yourself.
B) Research the health risks involved. There are A LOT of things that could go wrong during and after the piercing.
C) If you're still into the idea once you've dealt with A & B, go for it. It's a piercing, not a tattoo. If you don't like it or the consequences outweigh the benefits, take it out!

I've had my tongue pierced a few times now. I usually leave it in for a couple years and then get bored with it and take it out. The only time you can tell it was even pierced is if I really extend and flatten my tongue out (and let's face it... If you're walking around like that often, a piercing scar is the least of your worries! Haha!)

PS: ICEE's are AMAZING in the healing stage.

 

[LGNTexas]

I am glad my parents were most critical of tattoos and piercings and I respected their wishes. I am almost glad they are dead now and aren't around to see how their grandchildren are mutilating their bodies. My very beautiful niece did have her lower lip and tongue pierced and instead of seeing her beauty it was more like having one's eyes focus on the metal almost like somebody with spinach stuck in their teeth. My niece has since removed the metal maybe due to her new husband and her beauty comes through again.

 

[FameMonster]

@ SayWhat, well no it's not like 'their house, their rules' but more like I feel they would be dissapointed in me if I do it.
And yeah I searched all over the Internet for the risks, but a health agency in my county made a list with all the piercing/tattooshops who are safe and take good care of the hygiene of their products. So that isn't a problem, and when I have it, I just have to keep it very clean and not play with it too much and then it should be okay

@LGNTexas, a tongue piercing is barely noticable, and if you don't like it, just take it out and they tongue starts healing right away

 

[maxpowr9]

Whenever I want to make an important decision, I sit on it for 3-6 months and then decide if want to do it. I thought about getting my tongue pierced also but ultimately got a nose piercing instead.

Despite the medical risks with piercings, your dentist will hate you if you get your tongue pierced. It not that uncommon to have people damage their teeth with their tongue piercing (what I like to call the "ADD toy").

You also have to think into the future. If you ever will work in a corporate atmosphere (which is about 80% of businesses), you are pretty much damned to remove the item. At least with something like a nose or ear piercing, it can be removed and inserted with ease; tongue piercing, not so much.

 

[FameMonster]

@Maxpowr9, Yeah I have thought about the teeth damage. But that is minimal when I don't play with the piercing. If I make a habit of not playing with my piercing from the start, then nothing is wrong, and to be sure I take off the chirurgic steel balls and replace them with acryl balls.
As for my carreer later, there are tongue piercing retainers. If I wear them while I'm at work it shouldn't be a problem because the piercing is almost invisible then You see, I've given this a lot of thought lately.

 

[SayWhat]

@Maxpowr9, Yeah I have thought about the teeth damage. But that is minimal when I don't play with the piercing. If I make a habit of not playing with my piercing from the start, then nothing is wrong, and to be sure I take off the chirurgic steel balls and replace them with acryl balls.
As for my carreer later, there are tongue piercing retainers. If I wear them while I'm at work it shouldn't be a problem because the piercing is almost invisible then You see, I've given this a lot of thought lately.

Playing with it isn't really the only source of concern. The problem is re-learning how to eat. You have to train yourself to keep your tongue positioned safely and bite down cautiously. People break teeth on things as simple as ice cubes and corn nuts, so it's quite possible to do the same with acrylic balls (although it is better than the steel ones!) I found when I first got mine that if I place the tip of my tongue on the roof of my mouth right behind my two front teeth, it keeps me from twisting my tongue into a dangerous position.

The piercing itself also increases your risk of oral cancer, periodontal disease, gum recession, etc. None of which have to do with playing with the piercing. It's just an added risk of having a foreign object in your mouth constantly.

As for the career part, it's really dependent on the company you work for. I've been in a corporate atmosphere for years and haven't received any complaints about my jewelry. If you talk normally and don't play with it, it's hardly noticeable. Even so, retainers are still an option, too. I'd be sure to take it out for interviews, though.

 

[FameMonster]

Playing with it isn't really the only source of concern. The problem is re-learning how to eat. You have to train yourself to keep your tongue positioned safely and bite down cautiously. People break teeth on things as simple as ice cubes and corn nuts, so it's quite possible to do the same with acrylic balls (although it is better than the steel ones!) I found when I first got mine that if I place the tip of my tongue on the roof of my mouth right behind my two front teeth, it keeps me from twisting my tongue into a dangerous position.

The piercing itself also increases your risk of oral cancer, periodontal disease, gum recession, etc. None of which have to do with playing with the piercing. It's just an added risk of having a foreign object in your mouth constantly.

I've talked to a few people I know who have their tongue pierced, and they all say that if you have the right size of the barbell so your piercing isn't too long, it isn't a problem, and yeah you will bite on it sometimes, but not very often.

And yeah the piercing increases the risk of oral cancer and stuff but like you say, it's just an added risk. If you take good care of your piercing and you make sure that the piercer is working according to the hygenic standarts, it shouldn't be a problem or at least the risk is minimal.

I think I'm gonna take it Did you ever regret taking yours?

 

[Jay-the-Dedicated]

I've never had my tongue pierced, nor do I plan on doing it...I just don't think it's something I'd really want done...I don't mind ppl that have them, in fact. I find something extremely attractive about men with tongue rings. I have gotten extensive oral pleasure by both making out and getting a bj from a partner with a tongue ring, it was quite fantastic.

Anyways, back to the piercing thing, just don't go too overboard with the piercing and you should be fine...don't be one of those idiots that wants to shove a large gauge in there, just work with a smaller one...14g should be fine for a tongue piercing, all three of the ones in my ears are 14g, although I plan to move my lobes up to 12g soon.

 

[SayWhat]

Did you ever regret taking yours?

Nope! I'm glad I got mine done!

 

[lifegboi001]

Well I read this and it somewhat sounded like me when I got mine done. I am also a very spontaneous person and I decided I wanted one on a whim. I told my parents that I was thinking of getting it done and both weren't too happy with it and kinda avoided the subject. It took me awhile to finally decide that I was just going to do it. So one day I got it done and when I got home to show my parents they didn't really freak out. My mom (before hand) just wanted to make sure I researched everything about it and went to a good place. After I got it done she reminded me to take care of it oral hygiene. My dad told me "it's your body and you can do what you want with it". I have had it almost a year now and it wasn't that big of a deal. If you want one do it cuz you only live once!

 

[KaraBulut]

About 4-5 years ago, there was a phase of a lot of people that I knew you got their tongues pierced. None of them kept it because it was cumbersome and impractical. After a year or so when that fad passed, they removed the tongue piercing and went on to the next big fad.

A couple of them did have problems with infections which is what I would worry about but it didn't seem to cause any permanent damage.

But if you're asking for advice, I would just say that the tongue piercing thing was popular about 5 years ago and judging from the fact that just about everyone has gotten rid of it, it's probably not worth the trouble.

Save the money and take your mom out to a nice dinner. She deserves it.

 

[FameMonster]

Thanks for your advice guys! Yeah life's too short, I'm gonna get mine in the next vacation!