STORY BY

Meredith Raine

Speaking with Forked Tongue

Dangerous New Trendin Body Modification

If you’ve ever watched “Extreme Makeover,” you know there is a way to alter just about every body part that displeases you.

Breasts too small or sagging? Those can be enlarged and lifted.
Nose too big or crooked? It can be snipped and straightened.
Tongue too human-looking for you? That can be split down the middle to give you that reptilian flare.

Yes, you read correctly. Tongue-splitting is a growing trend in body modification, and men and women who want to speak with forked tongues are seeking surgeons or performing the elective procedure themselves.

While proponents of tongue-splitting view it as an enhancement similar to breast implants or facelifts, health care professionals are concerned about the medical risks tongue splitters may be taking.

Bleeding and infection are among the life-threatening complications, said Kelly Peters, DDS, director (in 2003) of the general practice residency program at The University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston.

“The tongue is a complex organ. It helps with speech, airway management, taste and pronunciation,” she said. “If you are unfamiliar with the anatomy, you could bleed to death or paralyze the tongue, which can cause a blockage of the airway.”

Cutting the tongue too far back or swelling after the surgery could also impede the airway. There also is a risk of sensory and motor nerve damage.

Infection in the mouth could lead to a systemic, bacterial infection throughout the body. “Your mouth is a window to the rest of your body,” Peters said. “It is filled with bacteria that could infect the lining of the heart or cause other problems.”

Similar problems can arrise with tongue piercings, a more moderate form of tongue modification.

Pamela Minke, DMD, director (in 2003) of advanced education in general dentistry, restorative dentistry and biomaterials at the UT Dental Branch, said if tools are not properly sterilized, patients also run the risk of becoming infected with hepatitis, HIV or other diseases that are transmitted by blood and other body fluids.

“I think there is a concern for public safety here,” Minke said. “Tongue-splitting could be very dangerous. Some people feel it is an art – something they want to do to their body to express themselves. Others believe it is self-mutilation.”

Whether or not it is self-mutilation, health care specialists agree that tongue-splitting can mutilate a person’s speech pattern. The tip of the tongue helps you pronounce “ch,” “t” and “s” sounds, and if that area of the tongue is damaged, you could permanently speak with a lisp or have to relearn how to talk all together, Minke said.

Minke and Peters said that patients need to weigh all the risks before deciding whether to have their tongue split. If they decide they want the procedure, the dentists advise that they not perform it themselves. Instead, they recommend an oral surgeon who is familiar with the tongue’s anatomy.

Peters said that unless there was a tumor in the center of the tongue, there would be no medical indication for performing such a procedure, so it may be difficult to find a doctor who is willing to split the tongue.

She adds that tongue-splitting is reversible. However, the doctor would have to remove the epithelium (outer layer) and a portion of the tongue, so it would be smaller than its original size.

“The tongue is a vital organ,” Peters said. “It serves several important functions. My advice is to not mess with it.”

UPDATED: 5-12-2006

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