The Question: Can a tongue piercing really close up if you leave jewelry out of it for just a few days?
The Answer: Actually, yes. There are any number of factors that contribute to how quickly or slowly a piercing will “close.” If you ask your piercer, they’ll likely warn you that how long you’ve had the piercing, how healthy it is currently, and even just your individual anatomy can all play a role. Even though completely healing shut within a short period of time is unlikely, it’s entirely possible for the piercing to close off enough to make reinserting jewelry problematic, so your best bet is to keep a clear retainer handy as a back up, just in case.
The Question: Can a tongue piercing really kill you if it was done in the wrong spot?
The Answer: Not really. Tongue piercings that were performed improperly (not by a trained and licensed professional) can cause pain, infection, and even scarring, but they won’t kill you. The only recorded and confirmed case of a death resulting from tongue piercing occurred in the UK, and it had nothing to do with the piercer. The unfortunate victim chose to get a tongue piercing during an unchecked throat infection and the bacteria accidentally entered her bloodstream through the newly opened wound, causing her eventual fatality. Moral of this story: even if it seems irrelevant or embarrassing, your piercer requires full disclosure in order to keep you safe.
The Question: Can a poorly executed tongue piercing cause a permanent speech impediment?
The Answer: Technically, no. Although rare occurrences of distorted speech from poor tongue ring placement have been documented, after removing the jewelry and allowing the offending piercing to heal, the speech returns to normal. During the first few days after a routine tongue piercing, saying certain things may be difficult due to swelling, but this is entirely normal and goes away quickly.
To see a tongue piercing and loads of other piercings happen in real time up close and personal, be sure to check out our awesome YouTube channel.
