One of the most demanding, contemporary tattoos are Tongue Tattoos. It is commonly believed that tongue tattoos were ideated after the increasing popularity of tongue rings. These tattoos are also referred to as tongue art since unlike conventional tattoos they use lighter inks and are more superficial in nature. Most folks sporting tongue tattoos opine that these are perhaps the most painful form of tattoos.

This is understandable since unlike other parts of the human body, the tongue doesn’t have a thick external coating. As a result, the inking is done directly over the mucous covered layer of the tongue which by its very inherent nature is quite sensitive. Further, tongue tattooing is quite a patience-tester. This is because keeping the tongue in an outwardly stretched position is difficult for any individual since the human tongue tends to retract due to a natural, reflex action. As a result, the tongue tattooing process takes hours, as it is done in several short batches of inking the tongue. The risks involved too are of the highest order. Firstly, the tongue contains many important glands that play a primary role in the digestion of food and secondly, the tongue contains sensors that identify and yield tastes from the food we taste.

After the tongue tattooing process, the healing too is rather slow since directly bandaging the tongue is quite impossible and the medicines too cannot be applied topically. Usually, a short course of antibiotics follows. Most folks boasting of tongue tattoos swear by the fact that they had to live with an impaired tongue function for days and were dependent upon repeated icing of the tongue to numb the pain.

The entire process takes up to three weeks wherein the tattoo is worked upon gradually. The individual can continue to eat food but some restrictions such as avoiding hot food is recommended. The most common complaint among people who have undergone tongue tattooing is the stretching of the tongue. This refers to the fact that the tongue needs to be pulled out repeatedly and held in a stretched position using a dental tool. Often, this leads to increased salivation in the mouth along with numbing of the surrounding, stretched muscles such as those of the lower jaw or the cheek.

If tongue tattooing is executed by a novice, there is a risk of hurting the musculature of tongue which in turn can damage several nerve-related functions such as speech and swallowing of food. Many of the medications used in helping the tattooed tongue heal are those used by dental technicians. In fact, many tattoo artists believe that after getting a tongue tattoo, it is a wise idea to visit a dental hygienist or a general practitioner just to ensure that no unwanted damage has been done to the tongue or the gums and palate.

However, all the pain is redeemed by the fact that tongue tattoos are incredibly unique and tend to make an immediate impression. A completely tattooed tongue is regarded as a definite indicator of a true tattoo-lover.