What are the odds of getting my tongue damaged from a piercing?

Dental Damage: Many would say piercing a tongue is damaging it. My experience of damage due to tongue piercing is the damage done to teeth by the metal ornament. Teeth become chipped, cracked and need expensive repairs from tongue piercing and the metal ornents. My advice is to avoid tongue piercing for this reason.

Odds are too high: Tongue barbells can chip or fracture front teeth. Gums can be damaged by the rubbing of barbells requiring periodontal surgery. If the barbell becomes unscrewed it could be aspirated into the lungs. Infections can be quite severe & eventually lead to disfigurement. There can be significant blood loss & permanent neuralgia (pain).

Tongue? Low...but: Inmo most of the damage is caused by the jewelry rubbing/abrading the gums and/or fracturing the teeth. At last count 12 of my 21 patients with tongue piercings had chipped/fractured a tooth. But the danger really occurs at the time of insertion--esp. If the health practices increase risk for infection and swelling that occurs immediately after. Call E.R. Asap if swelling disrupts breathing.