Introduction: Piercing is popular among young people, who view this practice as a sign of marginality, beauty, or group identity. This study is performed on healthy individuals with oral and facial piercings.
Materials and methods: Seventy oral and facial piercings were evaluated (17 in the tongue, 13 in the lower lip, 18 in the nostril, 7 in the eyebrow, and 15 in the ear). A specifically designed protocol was used to assess possible complications (inflammatory reactions, pain, dental alterations). Nonparametric tests were used for the statistical analysis of the results.
Results: The general complications recorded comprised pain (60% of cases), inflammatory reactions (34.3%), bleeding (24%), dental fractures or fissures (20%), and gingival damage (26.7%).
Conclusion: Tongue piercing is associated with pain, inflammatory reactions, and dental problems.