Electrogalvanism and Muscle Piercings: Difference between pages

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(Created page with "<html><div class="mw-content-ltr" dir="ltr" id="mw-content-text" lang="en"><p><br/> When you put two different metals into your mouth, under some conditions you can form a simple battery and actually generate a small current. </p><p>If you have silver fillings (i.e. dental amalgam — mercury, silver, tin, and copper), along with jewelry containing a noble metal (i.e. one that doesn't corrode such as osmium, titanium, platinum, niobium, gold, etc.), you can get <b>electr...")
 
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Many piercings pass through more than just skin. Common sense would suggest that [[Jewelry|jewelry]] passing through [[Muscle|muscle]] is probably a bad idea, both because of its potential to [[Scar|scar]] and damage the muscle, and because it can draw a potentially life-threatening infection inside the body. However, this does not appear to be entirely true.
When you put two different metals into your mouth, under some conditions you can form a simple battery and actually generate a small current.
</p><p>If you have silver fillings (i.e. dental amalgam — mercury, silver, tin, and copper), along with jewelry containing a noble metal (i.e. one that doesn't corrode such as osmium, titanium, platinum, niobium, gold, etc.), you can get <b>electrogalvanism</b> happening (with your saliva being the battery's electrolyte). Side effects can include:
</p>
<ul><li> Blackening and breakdown of your fillings
</li><li> Pain and burning sensations (i.e. galvanic pain)
</li><li> A metallic taste in your mouth
</li><li> Change in color of the jewelry (i.e. <a class="mw-redirect" href="/index.php?title=Anodization" title="Anodization">anodization</a>)
</li></ul>
<p>In most people these symptoms simply go away with time, but some people experience more extreme reactions including headaches, generalized pain, itching, nausea, dizziness and so on (which could make you falsely believe it's a <a class="mw-redirect" href="/index.php?title=Brain_infection" title="Brain infection">brain infection</a>).
</p><p>Assuming it doesn't go away in time, switching to an alternate jewelry material will usually help. Getting polymer fillings rather than dental amalgam will also typically eliminate the problem as well. Note that in rare cases this can also happen if you're wearing multiple pieces of oral jewelry using different metals.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<h2> <span class="mw-headline" id="Entries_related_to_this_risk">Entries related to this risk</span></h2>
<ul><li> <a href="/index.php?title=Tongue_Piercing" title="Tongue Piercing">Tongue Piercing</a>
</li></ul>


[[Tongue_piercings|Tongue piercings]] are the most common and obvious '''muscle piercing'''. Yes, they are usually placed through the centre, where they may to some extent pass between the muscles of the tongue... but even tongue piercings placed off-centre and directly through the core of the muscle heal uneventfully and have minimal effect on the function of the tongue. Other common piercings such as [[Lip_piercings|lip piercings]] and [[Cheek_piercings|cheek piercings]] also intersect muscle tissue with no apparent damaging effects. Some uncommon piercings such as [[Collarbone_piercings|collarbone piercings]] and [[Sprung_piercings|sprung piercings]] also pass through muscle tissue.


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The real question of how far this can be taken has never truly been answered (yet). It is unknown whether a [[Bicep_piercing|bicep piercing]] would cripple a person. Common sense suggests it would, but stranger things are observed all the time!

Latest revision as of 08:20, 17 September 2023

Many piercings pass through more than just skin. Common sense would suggest that jewelry passing through muscle is probably a bad idea, both because of its potential to scar and damage the muscle, and because it can draw a potentially life-threatening infection inside the body. However, this does not appear to be entirely true.

Tongue piercings are the most common and obvious muscle piercing. Yes, they are usually placed through the centre, where they may to some extent pass between the muscles of the tongue... but even tongue piercings placed off-centre and directly through the core of the muscle heal uneventfully and have minimal effect on the function of the tongue. Other common piercings such as lip piercings and cheek piercings also intersect muscle tissue with no apparent damaging effects. Some uncommon piercings such as collarbone piercings and sprung piercings also pass through muscle tissue.

The real question of how far this can be taken has never truly been answered (yet). It is unknown whether a bicep piercing would cripple a person. Common sense suggests it would, but stranger things are observed all the time!