Oral Body Piercings

Oral Piercings - The Correct Placement

Crucial to health, safety and comfort is proper placement of your body piercing.  Discuss this with your piercer before the procedure.

Tongue Piercings
A properly positioned tongue piercing will be on the midline of your tongue (right in the middle), and placed approximately ¾” back from the tip, and will likely be pierced on a diagonal with the top leaning back slightly, allowing the top ball to lean away from your teeth.  This will also be a more comfortable position as the top of your piercing will be positioned in the higher part of the roof of your mouth where there is more room.  The bottom of the tongue piercing should be just in front of the web-like skin under your tongue (known as the lingual frenulum).

Cheek and Lip Piercings
The piercing should be placed perpendicular to the area, and care should be taken that the part of the body jewelry that is inside your mouth is in a comfortable area with low risk to dental work, low risk of injury, and does not interfere with speech.  Once the piercing is fully healed, shorter posts should be used to further minimize risk.  For example, a cheek piercing should be no further back than the first molar in order to be a safe distance from the glands at the back of your mouth.

Blood vessels and nerve endings are often a concern, and a good body piercer will first examine the area with a special light that makes vessels and nerve endings visible.  Ask your piercer if he/she uses this light.

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