A tongue piercing with braces is when someone has a metal bar or stud pierced through their tongue along with having orthodontic braces fitted on their teeth. It involves getting a piercing in the tongue while wearing braces to straighten or realign teeth.
“Can You Have A Tongue Piercing With Braces?” This is a common question many teenagers and young adults ask themselves. With more and more people getting braces as well as tongue piercings nowadays, the issue of whether it is safe or even possible to have both treatments at once comes up frequently.
Whether or not you can have a tongue piercing with braces depends on several factors. While it may seem like an unusual combination, some people are able to care for both properly with the right precautions. However, orthodontists generally do not recommend it due to risks of infection, irritation, and interference with the movement of braces.
Will My Braces Cause Issues With A Tongue Piercing?
Getting a tongue piercing while wearing braces can potentially lead to some issues. The metal wires and brackets of braces could get tugged or caught on the tongue piercing jewelry. This may cause discomfort and slow down the healing process. It is also easy for food particles and plaque to get trapped between the jewelry and braces.
However, many people are able to successfully have both a tongue piercing and braces with some extra care. Using smooth jewelry and keeping it and the mouth very clean can help prevent problems. It is still important to consult with your orthodontist to see if they recommend waiting until braces treatment is complete before getting your tongue pierced.
How Will Braces Affect The Healing Process Of A Tongue Piercing?
The braces could interfere with the initial healing stage of a new tongue piercing. When the piercing is so new and fragile, it is especially important to avoid trauma that could disrupt the skin healing. The wires and brackets of braces provide many opportunities for the jewelry to getsnagged. This risk of movement can potentially delay full healing of the piercing.
It may also be difficult to properly clean both the tongue piercing and braces regularly during the first few weeks while the piercing is healing. Allowing bacteria to build up in this area risks infection. Getting the piercing done after braces removal eliminates these healing risks.
Can Braces Interfere With Keeping A Tongue Piercing Clean?
Keeping any oral piercing clean is important for prevention of infection and bad breath. However, braces can make routine cleaning of a tongue piercing more challenging. The nooks and crannies created by the wire, brackets, and bands provide many hiding spots for plaque, food particles, and bacteria.
Thoroughly brushing the roof of the mouth and behind the braces twice per day is needed with a tongue piercing. Flossing under the wire is also important but can be difficult. Using an antiseptic mouthwash after meals helps clean areas that toothbrushing may miss. Extra effort is needed to maintain good oral hygiene with both braces and a tongue pierci
What Are The Risks Of Infection With A Tongue Piercing While Wearing Braces?
Infection is a real risk any time a new hole is made in the body for a piercing. Introducing braces to the mouth amplifies this risk even more. The braces provide many surfaces for bacteria to latch onto. It also creates hiding spots for debris that can keep the piercing site moist and hospitable to germs.
Signs of infection include pain, swelling, oozing or discharge from the piercing, redness in the area, fever, or swollen lymph nodes in the neck. These need prompt treatment with antibiotics from a doctor. To reduce infection risk, Braces Tongue Ring keep the piercing and braces meticulously clean and see the Orthodontist if any symptoms arise. Monitor for infection carefully during the full healing time.
How Long Should You Wait After Getting Braces Removed To Get Your Tongue Pierced?
Most professionals recommend waiting at least 2-4 weeks after braces removal before getting any new oral piercings. This ensures sufficient time for the mouth to fully heal from the braces. Lingering sores or wounds need to be completely resolved prior to piercing the tongue.
Patience is important to avoid rejection of the piercing down the road. Getting a tongue piercing too soon after braces can disrupt the healing of residual wire holes or surgical sites from device removal. Appearance of the gums and lips also needs to stabilize before adding jewelry that may cause irritation. Taking the full month allows the mouth to recover fully from orthodontic treatment.
Does My Orthodontist Allow Tongue Piercings With Braces Treatment?
It is best to ask your orthodontist directly about their policies on tongue piercings during braces treatment. Many orthodontists strongly advise against getting any new oral piercings while brackets and wires are in place. However, some may grant permission with certain precautions.
Discussing your piercing plans well in advance allows the orthodontist to advise the safest approach and times to do so. Their main goal is protecting your dental and orthodontic treatment progress which can be compromised by an infection risk from simultaneous piercing. Have an open conversation about their professional recommendation.
Will My Orthodontist Approve Getting A Tongue Piercing During Braces Treatment?
Unfortunately, most orthodontists will not approve a tongue piercing while a patient is still actively wearing braces. Their primary concern surrounds risks of infection that could negatively impact teeth movement and overall treatment. Piercings introduce an open wound into the mouth that bacteria easily enters.
If any infection occurs near the braces, it may halt the process or force removal of devices prematurely. Prolonged treatment time means higher costs and delayed results as well. While some orthodontists make exceptions, they want to avoid risks that compromise the substantial investment already made into braces. Their approval depends on the individual case and severity of remaining treatment.
What Restrictions Might My Orthodontist Have About Tongue Piercings With Braces?
Common restrictions orthodontists place on tongue piercings during brace treatment are to wait until you’re in your final stages of treatment. At this point, most of the large tooth movements will be complete. They may also require you use only flat-back labret style barbells to avoid catching on wires/brackets.
Some want patients to sign forms acknowledging risks of infection if pierced too soon. Regular visits are needed post-piercing to monitor healing. antimicrobial rinses may be recommended long-term. Jewelry play/changing should be delayed. Extra diligent home care including special brushes may be required as well. Following orthodontist advice lowers chances of problems.
How Can I Ask My Orthodontist About Their Policies On Tongue Piercings And Braces?
The best way is simply bringing it up at your next scheduled appointment. Mention your interest in a tongue piercing openly to your orthodontist. Inquire about their experience treating patients with oral piercings before and views on risk level. Request their honest professional opinion on timing that works best.
Come prepared with questions about suggested waiting periods, approved jewelry styles, potential impacts to treatment, and cleaning recommendations if given permission. Maintain an open-mind about their answer which will weigh the benefits of piercing versus any dental risks. An informed discussion shows you’re taking their orthodontic expertise into consideration.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Tongue Piercings If I Have Braces?
Unfortunately, most dental insurance plans do not cover the cost of tongue piercings like they do for orthodontic treatments. Tongue piercings are considered a voluntary cosmetic procedure rather than medically necessary care. While some medical insurances may cover piercing if prescribed after oral surgery, it is not a standard covered benefit.
Even if the piercing is done by a qualified medical professional, like a doctor or dentist, insurance typically won’t help pay. Out of pocket costs for reputable piercing studios generally range anywhere from $40-150 depending on jewelry and aftercare products included. The priority of dental insurance is correcting bites and preventing tooth problems rather than elective piercings. It’s best to expect to pay cash price if piercing with braces.
What Type Of Jewelry Is Safest For A Tongue Piercing With Braces?
The best type of jewelry for a tongue piercing while wearing braces is a flat-back labret barbell. The flat back lays flush against the tongue so it is less likely to get tangled in wires or brackets. Ball-shaped or threaded ends on jewelry could more easily get caught. A labret is also simpler than other styles, reducing opportunities for snagging.
Labret barbells come in different lengths, allowing you to choose one short enough to avoid interaction with braces but long enough for comfortable healing. Titanium is a good labret material since it is smooth, non-reactive, and minimizes irritation or infection risks. Avoid colored or plated labrets that can degrade inside the mouth.
Is A Flat Back Or Tongue Stud Better Jewelry Style For A Tongue Piercing With Braces?
A flat back labret barbell is a better choice over a tongue stud when wearing braces. Tongue studs can have decorative balls or bulbs on the ends that provide extra surfaces to snag on braces. They also sit further away from the tongue surface, making the jewelry more prone to getting tugged or caught in wire/brackets.
Flat back labrets, often just a smooth rounded edge, are a lower profile design. They stay very close to the tongue so the jewelry does not stick out into areas of the mouth with braces hardware. Less risk is associated with flat versus flared ends. Simply switching to a flat back style reduces potential irritation from brace interactions.
Should I Use Different Jewelry Material Like Plastic Or Acrylic While Wearing Braces?
While plastic or acrylic jewelry may seem like a good idea to avoid snagging, these materials are not suitable for long-term tongue piercing wear. They degrade quickly in the oral cavity and can leach chemicals irritants. Much safer is sticking to body-safe materials like implant grade stainless steel or titanium.
These metals have strength to withstand occasional catching yet smooth surfaces to minimize irritation. They also resist corrosion inside the mouth better than other alternatives. Poorly made “plastic” may contain unknown toxic additives or break down into sharp pieces over time when worn next to braces. High-quality metals are worth the piercing investment.
How Can I Minimize The Risk Of My Tongue Piercing Jewelry Getting Caught On My Braces?
Some tips to reduce the risk of the tongue piercing snagging on braces include choosing the flattest jewelry possible and keeping it trimmed short. Maintaining excellent oral hygiene by brushing between wires and brackets daily also helps.
Rinsing after every meal with antiseptic solution cleans out food crumbs that could drag the jewelry into braces. Being mindful not to play with or excessively move the tongue is important as well. Lastly, during adjustments always inform the orthodontist about the piercing to minimize unnecessary grazing of wires on jewelry.
At What Point Can I Change To Smaller Tongue Piercing Jewelry After Getting Braces?
It’s generally best to wait at least 2-3 months after the tongue piercing is fully healed before changing to smaller jewelry while wearing braces. During the initial 8 week healing period, downsizing can disrupt the skin if it’s not quite ready.
After 2-3 months of regular cleaning and no problems, it’s likely fine to change to a 1-2 mm smaller diameter labret fitted by your piercer. Go slowly and watch for any signs of irritation from the new size. You’ll also want to be past the initial phase of braces when major teeth movements occur. Once adjustments are minimal, jewelry swaps are less risky.
How Will A Tongue Piercing Impact Wearing My Braces?
Having both a tongue piercing and braces means needing to carefully coordinate oral care. Thorough brushing of the underside of the tongue, roof of mouth and around braces hardware is necessary to prevent plaque and infection.
The piercing may make it slightly harder to reach all areas with a toothbrush but using smaller bristle brush heads helps. Interactions between the tongue and braces could also potentially impact the way teeth are aligning as intended if shifted. Close monitoring of positioning and bite are important.
Will A Tongue Piercing Make It Harder To Keep My Braces And Teeth Clean?
Keeping a tongue piercing clean while wearing braces requires extra attention but with proper technique remains very doable. Using a small, soft bristled toothbrush designed for braces/oral piercings lets you effectively scrub around the barbell and under wires.
Rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash after meals helps clean where brushing can’t reach. Flossing strings carefully under the wire also removes debris that leads to cavities and gingivitis. With a steady cleaning routine, it’s fully possible to maintain strong dental hygiene even with the additional consideration of a tongue jewelry.
Can A Tongue Piercing Interfere With How My Braces Are Adjusting My Teeth?
It’s possible a tongue piercing could impact the way braces function by changing the behaviors of the tongue. For example, involuntarily playing with new jewelry may cause the tongue to push teeth around atypically.
Making a conscious effort not to fiddle with the barbell and speaking/eating as normal can help offset these risks. Repeated interactions between the jewelry and braces could also disrupt the way wires and brackets are urging teeth to shift over time if catches occur. Check-ups are important to catch any issues early.
Kind Of Problems Could A Tongue Piercing Cause If I Alter How I Use My Tongue
5 short sentences describing potential problems a tongue piercing could cause if altering how the tongue is used
- Bite the piercing by accident – If not careful, the tongue piercing could get accidentally bitten while eating or talking.
- Damage new braces brackets – The ball or barbell on a new tongue piercing risks catching on braces brackets and damaging them.
- Irritate the gums – Using the tongue in a different way could cause the piercing to rub against the gums and cause soreness or inflammation.
- Swallow foreign objects – There is a risk of accidentally swallowing small beads or balls from tongue piercings if the tongue movement changes.
- Slow healing – Not allowing the tongue piercing adequate time to heal properly before changing how the tongue functions could lead to infection or delayed healing.
How Will A Tongue Piercing Impact Eating And Talking Comfortably While Wearing Braces?
At first, eating and talking may feel a bit awkward with the addition of a tongue piercing alongside braces. Learning to maneuver soft foods and words is needed without excessive jewelry movements that could irritate.
However, as the piercing fully heals over 4-6 weeks, speaking and eating return to normal with practice. Be patient, avoid spicy/acidic foods temporarily, and don’t rush the process to ensure comfort returns. With conscious coordination, it is very possible to eat and converse just as well as before the piercing.
Should I Wait Until After Braces To Get My Tongue Pierced?
For most people, waiting until after braces treatment is fully complete before getting a tongue piercing is the recommended approach. This prevents unnecessary risks of infection impacting orthodontic care and ensures full healing of any residual wire/bracket sites.
Timing the piercing for once retainers are being used rather than braces allows completely focusing recovery efforts on just the new tongue hole. Post-braces also provides the option to address any unexpected complications from the piercing alone without orthodontic factors involved. Patience provides the safest tongue piercing experience overall.
Is It Better To Get My Tongue Pierced Before Or After Braces Treatment?
In general, getting a tongue piercing after braces treatment is removed is preferable to before or during. Piercing after braces means avoiding potential mouth wounds from wire/bracket removal interacting with a new piercing site. It also eliminates cleaning difficulties and risk of infectious setbacks to orthodontic care.
If a piercing was done years before braces, it’s likely fully mature so less concerning. But for those just starting orthodontia, waiting until after is recommended. The exception could be if only mild adjustments are needed for the final stages of treatment.
Pros And Cons Of Timing A Tongue Piercing Around Getting Braces
| Pros of Tongue Piercing Before Braces | Cons of Tongue Piercing Before Braces |
| No risk of the piercing interfering with braces adjustment. | The piercing may take longer to heal fully before braces can be fitted. |
| No need to remove the piercing during braces treatment. | Possible increased risk of infection or irritation while the piercing is new. |
| Can enjoy the piercing throughout most of braces treatment. | May need to be extra careful of piercing getting caught on braces brackets. |
| Pros of Tongue Piercing After Braces | Cons of Tongue Piercing After Braces |
| Less irritation risk as the mouth has healed from braces. | Will need to remove piercing anytime braces need adjusting. |
| No risk of piercing interfering with braces movement. | May limit piercing enjoyment during the last phases of braces treatment. |
| Easier oral hygiene with no piercing in place. | Piercing healing process could delay finalizing braces treatment. |
At What Stage Of Braces Treatment Would Be The Best Time For A Tongue Piercing?
Realistically, the only stage where an orthodontist may feel a tongue piercing poses minimal risk is during limited final adjustments once most major teeth shifting is complete. Even then, the practitioner needs confident cleanings/hygiene can be maintained without hazardous build up.
Most experts consider any phase before complete treatment as still carrying too high a chance of problems like temporary halting of movement or infection that disrupts the orthodontic result. Finishing with only occupy/retainer work is ideal before adding a tongue piercing to the mouth adjustments.
How Much Longer Should I Wait After Braces Removal To Reduce Piercing Risks?
To be safest, the general recommendation is to wait 4 full weeks after braces are taken off to allow any residual mouth trauma or sore spots from wire removal enough time to fully recover. Even minor irritation could impact a new piercing. Some say 2 weeks, but an additional 14 days of healing ensures all tissues have stabilized.
Waiting at least 30 days also helps reduce risks if a hidden abscess or infection decides to emerge from an extraction/surgery site related to orthodontic work after the fact. Tongue piercings tax the mouth, so eliminating extraneous variables after braces creates the most conducive conditions
Frequently Asked Question
Can You Have A Tongue Piercing With Braces?
It is possible but requires extra caution and may need occasional removal for adjustments.
When Is The Best Time To Get A Tongue Piercing Around Braces Treatment?
Either before starting braces to avoid interference during adjustments, or after braces are fully removed to minimize irritation.
Will A New Tongue Piercing Affect Braces Movement?
A fresh piercing carries a risk of catching on wires or brackets and slowing orthodontic tooth movement, so removal may be needed.
How Long After Getting Braces Should You Wait For A Tongue Piercing?
It’s generally best to wait until braces treatment is fully completed to avoid potential delays in treatment from swelling or inflammation from a new piercing.
What Precautions Are Needed With A Tongue Piercing And Braces?
Be extremely careful not to bite the jewelry when eating or speaking, and clean both areas well to prevent infections complicating orthodontic treatment.
Conclusion
It is possible to have a tongue piercing while wearing braces, but certain precautions should be taken. A tongue piercing introduces additional risks when braces are present, as the jewelry could get caught on wires or brackets. It may be necessary to occasionally remove the piercing so that an orthodontist can properly adjust the braces as treatment progresses.
The safest approach is typically to either get the tongue piercing done before starting braces treatment, or to wait until fully removing braces to get pierced. This minimizes potential interference and irritation that could slow orthodontic movement or prolong the duration of treatment.
