Daughter Wants Tongue Pierced for 17Th Birthday

I would go with what her father feels. Tongue piercing is a sexual stimulant. She should wait until she is an adult and get all the piercings she wants - maybe she will have grown out of the idea by then!

My brother had his tongue pierced at about 17. Recently he was having teeth problems. From him playing with it in his mouth and hitting his teeth(now this is after many years), it wore off the enamel on his teeth and he had to get root canals. Once he went through that and after talking with the dentist he took out the tongue ring.

Hi L.,
As a dental hygienist, I can tell you that tongue piercing has several risks. First off, the tongue can easily become infected after the piercing with all the bacteria (good and bad) that live in the mouth. Second, so many of my patients with tongue piercings have had at least one chipped tooth from the barbell. This almost always leads to needing a crown ($700-$1000) and possibly a root canal ($500-$800). The barbell can also cause the gums and bone to wear away in the floor of the mouth. If you do decide to let her get one, be sure and get her an acrylic or plastic ball for the barbell. That doesn't help with infection issues, though.
Just FYI!!
PS--I have had my nose pierced for the last 7 years with no problems.
And another PS--if her Dad's not on board, I'd say no.

Mom, These ruin your teeth. They crack, chip the enamel and generally cause dental nightmares. While your daughter may say or want this for "fashion" the primary reason for tongue piercing is sexualy gratification for their partner. This is the originaly and MAIN reason for tongue piercings.

They have tons of health/sanitary issues. Increased risk of infection, illness, swollen tongue. There have been many that have had their tongue swell to the point of choking to death. Of course I know the argument is tons of people have it that didn't have that happen, but is it worth the risk that she would be the one that it happened too? Just stick to your guns and follow your instincts. they wear us down with their good behavior and the only thing I really want. etc. That's their job. To wear us down and manipulate to get their way. It's our job to see the bigger picture and hold our ground. You know that you're just like all of us, wanting to give our kid their hearts desire. This one however has to many risk, IMHO, and she is worth so much more. Her reputation is worth more. Because, although she may see it as fashion, other's will see it for it's most common use. Good luck, we're here with you. Keep up the hard work. She's so worth it for you to protect her from herself. Her brain hasn't stopped growing and it won't for several more years. Good Luck, GOod luck!

I had mine pierced when I was 18. I got tired of it eventually and removed it, but as far as sanitary goes, as long as she rinses with mouth wash after she eats and occasionally through out the day and follows basic instructions from the LICENSED professional (I stress that word because I wouldn't recommend doing it otherwise), she should be fine. It only takes a few days to heal- maybe a week. As far as price, my brother paid $30 for my 18th bday present just in case you were wondering about that too.

Hello L.,
I got my tongue pierced 8 years ago when I was 17. I have never had any problems with it. But I also made sure once it was pierced to keep it clean :) . If you are worried about sanitary issues just make sure the piercing studio /tattoo sterilzes everything.

My father-in-law is a dentist. He sees lots of cracked and fractured teeth from tongue rings. Just thought I would pass this along.

I would make your daughter do research with you on the web to see the side effects of tongue piercing.
Besides the negative side effects the others have mentioned there is some problems reported associated with the heart.

Hopefully you can find an alternative present for your daughter.
Good Luck!

S.

Wow, loads of comments here. We went through the same thing with our oldest teenager. Our bottom line rule was/is once you are 18 & living on your own, you can do whatever you want to your body. Of course we discussed image, why they want it done in the first place, be respectful to your body, blah blah blah.
Fortunately, when our oldest realized how much money they cost & how little she had it prolonged it for a couple of years. However, now that she is on her own she has some real doozies. I honestly believe 75% of it is social & once they either get new friends or grow up a little the piercings will come out. And yes, she had trouble finding a "real" job. But like a few ladies said you are the parent, not a friend.

Hi L.,

Something similar happened on my 16th birthday. I started begging on my 15th birthday to be given permission to get a belly-ring on my 16th. I didn't let up for one year and although my Mom was hesitant for a long while, I wore her down over time. She surprised me with a trip to get pierced the day before my 16th. As a now 24 year old, I urge you to tell your daughter no. My mother should have said the same to me. I wanted it at the time because it was "the thing" to do, but long term? I have a scar on my belly that will never go away and I am disappointed that my mother wasn't firmer back then. I was always the responsible, mature kid. She has since told me that had allot to do with her decision. But I was 16, not mature and not responsible - she should have said no. Make your daughter wait until she can do it on her own - just one more year, and if she still wants it, she will do it. But I hope she doesn't. She will too later...

Good luck,

L.,

You are the mother, but your husband, her father, is - should be scriptually - the head of the house. To go against HIS wishes is nothing less than rebellion which scripture says is as the sin of witchcraft - and it says suffer not a witch to live. Scripture also says not to pierce or tattoo our bodies. It's no wonder this rebellious, perverted generation thinks it's perfectly fine to ignore scripture.

Tell her no. Tell her as long as she lives in your house, or is financially dependent on her father's provision, she may not have anything pierced or tattooed. Children NEED to be told no - especially today.

And why, WHY, aren't you concerned with your daughter's "image"? You are her MOTHER! If you aren't concerned, who will be? It is a punk, rebellious image. Why would you want / let your daughter look like that?

Tell her no. And stick to your guns. You are the parent. It is a hard job, but our main, most important responsibility to our children if to make sure their eternal lives are safe. Make sure of it and help her make right choices for blessings and life and not wrong choices that only result in curses and death.

Of course, MY opinion is not so important - I'm just a Grami you don't know, but I challenge you to be concerned most about Father God's opinion #1 daddy is in charge, what he says goes #2 no piercings or tattoos

When she is 18, she can move out and pay for her own college and get it done then if she still wants to, but hopefully you have had some positive influence on her : )

Hi Mom:

I think your daughter should really think this over, due to like you mentioned health issues that was discover in regards to this pierced. I've personally meet a young lady who currently suffering from this piercing. She has infection in her month so bad til its decaying her teeth and now she is developing staff infection throughtout her body, so by all means tell your daughter to be extremely careful, and I hope this message will change her mind. This is a true situtaion, allow your daughter to read this message due to it may shade some light on reality.

I really didn't realize a tongue piercing was for sexual stuff. I got mine pierced at age 22 and I still have it as a mother of two children at age 33. I never had any problems with it as far as infections go but I was very careful to keep it rinsed out with mouthwash on a regular basis. Also, I didn't change it out for a plastic ball as soon as it was healed and so I knocked out a filling about 6 months later.

But I switched to a plastic ball and haven't had any trouble since then.

If your daughter is the responsible type that will take care of her piercing the way she is instructed to and will be careful with it in her mouth it doesn't seem like it would be too bad.

on the other hand, having her wait til she is able to do it herself without a parents permission doesn't seem like it would be the end of the world either.

Good luck with your decision.

Hi L., I got my tongue pierced 8 years ago, I have not had any trouble with it. I made sure that EVERYTHING was cleaned. I followed the after care instructions. The worse thing was having a swollen tongue afterwards which is normal. Just to let you know, not everyone with a tongue piercing does sexual acts/favors. That is not why I got mine pierced. I thought about piercing mine for a while, made sure I really wanted to do it. I don't regret it either. Now, I'm not saying just because I have mine done that you should let your daughter do hers. Its what you think you should do. If you do let her just make sure she follows the directions.

Ok hellobim a 28 year old stay at home mom with 2 children too young yet to havr that done but uve had one myself for 5 years in and loved it i would say if u all go hace it dine just make sure u take her to a reputable place thats clean the artist who does the peircing will tell her everything she needs to know to keep her tounge from being infected it will swell for about a week and she will have to learn to eat without biting down on it theres this stuff called glyoxide which comes in drops form she should get and use that to keep out infection its lke peroxide the tounge in my opion is not a bad peircing there r worse ones to take care of

I pierced my tongue at 18, when you have it done make sure the eqipment is new and wrapped. It hurts! Her tongue will swell as long as she follows the instructions. It will heal and she won't have any problems. I loved mine and had no problems. Hope you let her have hers.

I had my tongue peirced for my 18th bday. It hurts like crazy while the needle is Actually going through removing a sliver of your tongue. But after it's ok just after u drink or eat ANYTHING or smoke and if u haven't eaten or drank anything for a while do it just because. Dr. Tischners mouth wash half strength. Just make sure she keeps her mouth clean religously! For at least 4 weeks. I bought the giant bottle and a little bottle of mouthwash and everyday before I left I filled the smaller one up and put it in my purse. And yes it swells for a few days. But if she really wants it I say go for it it's not that bad I still put mine in every few months for a day or two. I'm now 25 and when I got pregnant I took it out for almost a year and it slid right back in. Sometimes they close up but mine hasn't. But if she wants it bad enough explain to her what she has to do to care for it and if she's willing... The plastic balls strip out easily and they all become loose in your mouth so tighten them daily just to make sure. I've swallowed a few balls. but the metal ones bang on your teeth alot and at first u play with it alot so I'd say as soon as u can change it to all plastic until she gets over the major playing.

If father not in argeement with your husband then it scohld'nt be done god said everything must be in agreemenet with you and your husband when shes 18yrs old then the choose is one her tongue rings are only for nasty reasons.so i've heard so stay in agreement with your husband and tell your daughter when she make 18yrs old the choose is on her.

I had a friend in college who got her tongue pierced. She only kept it for about a year. It kept getting infected and her tongue was pretty much swollen continuously to some degree until she took it out. She was very susceptible to illness and infections before the piercing, so I'm sure that helped play a role in it. I know you're not really concerned with the image, and my friend wasn't much either at first, but she was definitely treated differently by some people when they realized she had a tongue ring. She got tired of that as well. If it were my child, I wouldn't let her do it, but your daughter will turn 18 soon enough and if she really wants one, she'll get it at that point. Good luck with your decision!

I'm 38 and had my tongue ring for 2 years. I took it out a few weeks ago. My dentist never noticed it because I was using a plastic ball that was almost the same color as my tongue. She noticed it a few weeks ago when I went in to have my teeth cleaned. She said that it doesn't matter if you use a metal, plastic, or silicone ball...it will still wear the enamel off the backs of your teeth and it also wears down your bottom gums. It causes them to recede. If your gums recede enough, plain and simple, your teeth are going to fall out! She said my gums had already started receding a little, but it wasn't bad, but that I really needed to get rid of the tongue piercing. As soon as I got home, I took it out! I have healthy teeth and have never even had a cavity so I decided that having nice teeth was more important than a tongue ring. Right now I'm spending way too much money on braces for my teeth to just have them ruined. Yes, I am 38 years old and have braces along with my 13 year old son lol.
I told my cousin about it and she made her son take his tongue piercing out, my little sister took hers out and a couple of my friends took theirs out.

When I taught high school several of the girls got tongue piercings. Every one of them ended up with broken teeth. Before you make any decisions, please have your daughter's dentist speak directly to her about the danger a piercing holds for the longevity of her teeth. If her dentist approves, then go for it. If it's what she wants, and a dentist feels it is okay, then you should probably allow it.

Good Luck,

A.

I have mine pierced and as long as you go to a clean place to get it done then follow the instructions they give you afterward she shouldn't have a problem with it. Well other than it hurting and swelling. When it's time for school to start get her a clear retainer just in case they don't allow those types of piercings!