Topic Overview

Problems that can develop when you have your tongue, inner cheek, uvula, or lip pierced include:

• Pain.
• Bleeding.
• Infection at the site of the piercing.
• Infections, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.
• Speech problems.
• Chewing and swallowing problems.
• Tooth damage, including chipped, cracked, or broken teeth.
• Scar tissue.
• Swelling that may block your throat.

If you have your mouth pierced and use oral jewelry, make sure you can remove it. The ball on one end of a barbell-shaped device must be able to be screwed off and on to make the jewelry easy to insert and remove. Mouth jewelry that dislodges can be accidentally swallowed or inhaled, causing injury or requiring surgical removal.