man died after tongue piercing

[Amby 490]

They may seem cool to teenagers and young adults, but having your tongue pierced can be deadly, BBC News reported.

A 22-year-old man died of multiple brain abscesses just weeks after piercing his tongue, according to a report in the Archives of Neurology.

According to doctors, an infection can spread from the site of the piercing and go up to the brain.

"Dentists are all too aware of the health problems that can be caused by oral piercings," said Professor Damien Walmsley, a scientific adviser to the British Dental Association. "There are many potential complications, ranging from pain and swelling to chipped or cracked teeth. Patients who have oral piercings can also suffer with recession of the gums and prolonged bleeding.

"Piercing of oral sites also carries with it a risk of infection. The clear message is that oral piercing is ill-advised and should be avoided."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,566223,00.html

[Peikko 1,575]

Wow, poor kid.

Well, not kid, young adult.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Body piercings gross me out - can't say I'm terribly surprised by this. Always a risk of infection - with tongue piercings its hard to see how it isn't more common.

[scandal 951]

There can be cardiac implications as well. I never knew this, and was quite astounded to learn that poor dental hygiene, or any situation that leads to excess bleeding in the mouth can lead to serious heart infections. The oral cavity (aka your mouth) is a breeding ground for bacteria. If they have easy access to blood vessels, it's apparently very easy for bacteria to migrate into the heart and cause life-threatening infections.

Check out the American Heart Association on the topic:

http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.p...43&item=432

[Amby 490]

I had my tongue pierced for awhile and it was seriously irritating under my tongue for a long time. It was almost painful where it hit the bottom of my mouth. I eventually took it out because I grew out of it. You have to sign lots of papers that tell you all of the possible complications.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Just terrible.

[meowmeowmeow 1]

RIP

[SMR 368]

Sounds like a Darwin candidate to me.