While oral piercings are a popular fad among teenagers, there are many risks to consider before deciding to pierce your tongue:

Procedure Related Risks:

• Infection:  Infection is possible with any opening in skin or oral tissues.  Considering that the mouth is teeming with bacteria, oral piercing carries a high potential for infection at the piercing site.  Handling the jewelry after it is placed can also lead to infection.  Failing to properly care for the piercing immediately following the procedure can also cause infrection.
• Swelling:  Swelling is a common sympton of piercings.  The tongue is in constant motion which can slow and complicate the healing process.

Jewelry Related Complications: Injury to the gums:  Metal jewelry in general can injure gums and if placed where it is in constant contact with the gums, it can cause the soft tissue to recede. Damage to the teeth: Contact with the jewelry can chip or crack the teeth or dental restorations. Interference with normal oral function:  Oral jewelry can stimulate excessive saliva production, impede the ability to pronounce words clearl and may cause problems with chewing and swallowing food. Aspiration:  There is always the potential for the jewelry to become loose which then becomes a choking hazard.

If you do decide to proceed with an oral piercing, extra dental care should be taken.  Make sure when you brush your teeth that you also brush your tongue; take the jewelry out daily and clean it with warm water and soap and rinse the hole in the tongue with a small stream of water.

Tobacco and Oral Health 

Some facts to know about tobacco use:

• Smokers are about twice as likely to lose their teeth.  If you start smoking at age 18, you could lose between 4 and 5 teeth by the time you are 35.  The rate is 2.9 teeth every ten years according to Tufts University.
• Smoking and smokeless tobacco cause bad breath, oral cancer and periodontal disease.   Because the early signs of oral cancer usually are not painful, people often ignore them.  If not caught in the early stages, oral cancer can require extensive, sometimes disfiguring surgery or worse, it can kill you.  If you are a tobacco user, watch out for a sore that won't heal, white or red leathery patches on your lips and on or under your tongue; pain, tenderness or numbness anywhere in the mouth or lips, difficult in chewing, swallowing, speaking or moving your jaw or tongue or a changes in the way your teeth fit together. 
• Sugar is often added to smokeless chewing tobacco which can lead to increased tooth decay.

Tooth Whitening Procedures in Teenagers

Tooth whitening has grown in popularity in recent years with an abundance of over the counter options and even tooth whitening centers at the mall. 

Some guidelines to keep in mind for tooth whitening in teenagers:

Wait until at least the age of 14.  By this age, the tooth pulp is fully formed and therefore the whitening process causes less sensitivity.  Drink soda and coffee through a straw to prevent discoloration of the upper front teeth. Wait until braces are removed for whitening procedures.  Take excellent care of your teeth while braces are on to prevent tooth discoloration or cavities.

Wisdom Teeth:

The last teeth to erupt are your wisdom teeth or third molars, which usually appear between the ages of 17 and 21.  There is often limited room in the jaw for these teeth to fully erupt which can lead to impaction.  In this case, wisdom teeth will often require surgical extraction.

Soft Drinks and Cavities:

Teenagers are consuming soft drinks at higher rates than ever.  Not only does the sugar in soft drinks increase the risk of cavities, but acidic flavor additives can also erode and damage tooth enamel.

Some tips to reduce the negative effects of soft drinks:

• Drink through a straw to cut down on the contact the soft drink has with the teeth.
• Rinse the mouth with water after drinking soda.