Genital and Tongue Piercings and the Risk of Transmission

[WorriedinCalifornia]

I havne't seen any questions posted in this forum about this topic, and I'm curious.

As far as I know, I've never seen any research on whether tongue, or genital piercings increase the risk of transmitting viral or bacterial STDs during sex. I'm asking specifically for HPV, but any input would be interesting. For example, particularly large-gauge tongue piercings, or on genital peircings as well because (on men) condoms cannot fit over them as well and are more likely to tear. Has this been studied, or has any information been gathered on this?  

Genital and tongue piercings have experience a resurgance in popularity over the past ten years or so, and I wonder if this has any effect on the statistics that show higher rates of STDs in college-age students, etc.  

Essentially a piercing is an opening in the skin, so I would assume an increased risk, although I don't know if this would apply only to newer piercings.

[monkeyflower]

The reason the ADA opposes tongue piercings (actually, oral piercings in general) is because of the risk to your teeth. People tend to play with their oral piercings and are apparently at pretty high risk of chipping teeth. I have my nostril pierced, and my old dentist always warned me about not getting my tongue or lip pierced, lol.

And some piercings do close up quickly after removing the jewelry, but that doesn't mean they aren't healed. Even earlobe piercings will close over time.

Hopefully Dr. Handsfield will answer, but I really don't think increased saliva flow has anything to do with increased STD transmission risks. Besides, your saliva production isn't going to increase THAT much. I don't know anyone with oral piercings who drools ;-) Regardless, oral and genital piercings are really, really common, and as far as I know, those folks don't have a higher rate of STDs than anyone else :-)

[WorriedinCalifornia]

Thank you for your quick response.

The only thing that seems odd to me is that tongue piercings, when taken out at any stage -- be it an older or newer piercing-- tend to close up VERY  fast-- within days sometimes.  Is that just something to do with the anatomy of the tongue?  I read here:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/108/108970.htm

that oral piercings actually increase saliva production --which seems like it could increase the risk for STDs like herpes, Hepatitis and possibly HIV and HPV?

I also didn't realize that the ADA had officially opposed oral piercings, which made me wonder what urologists/gynecologists' stance on genital piercing is. However,  I have friends who've gotten these done, and they have not had any problems with them thus far.  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Interesting question also am unaware of any studies on tongue or genital piercing might increase the risk of STD.  My intuition says there might an increased risk for a brief period, if a person were exposed in the few weeks after a piercing procedure, before complete healing.  But after healing is complete, including enough time for normal skin to extend through the entire pierced area (like happens with pierced ears), I see no reason to suspect increased risk for any STD.  In other words, after complete healing, a piercing is no longer a "hole in the skin"; skin lines the pierced hole.

On top of this, in our busy STD clinic, with a pretty fair number of patients with oral and genital piercings, I haven't seen anybody with, say, gonorrhea, chlamydia, warts, or herpes involving a pierced site, and the other clinicians have never told me about any such case.

So on balance, I conclude the risk probably is very low after healing is complete.  But of course it's hard to be sure without data.

Regards--  HHH, MD