The cost of getting one’s tongue split varies from surgeon to surgeon and will depend on your geographical location. The expenses usually range from $1,000 to $3,000. Hence this can be the estimated cost of tongue splitting. The procedure lies outside the jurisdiction of an insurance company, as it is considered a cosmetic surgery.
There are three ways one can choose to get one’s tongue split.
The first involves a surgery where the tongue is cut down the middle using a cautery knife or a laser, after the use of an anaesthetic. The exposed tissue is then stitched up, and discomfort medication is prescribed for the pain. Healing should usually take two weeks. There lies a second option for those with pre-existing tongue piercings. The technique involves running stitches through the piercing and tightening them until the flesh of the tongue splits. This process is time-consuming and painful, but popular among certain alternative communities due to those very traits. The third type of procedure involves cutting the tongue using a blade and then cauterizing it while it is being divided. One risks higher blood loss with this procedure, compared to the other two.
After the procedure, the patient must carry out appropriate oral treatments to avoid the risk of infection. One is required to wash one’s mouth frequently with an oral solution and to take the antibiotics one has been prescribed. Failure to do so can have dire consequences.
Tongue splitting is performed by oral and cosmetic surgeons or body modification practitioners, but one must take into careful account, that only oral and cosmetic surgeons are licensed to perform this procedure.
Apart from financial costs, there lie several health risks in getting one’s tongue split that one must be aware of. In splitting your tongue, you may risk:
Significant blood loss Infection Nerve damage Problems with breathing and swallowingRegrowth of the halves of the tongue togetherAltered sense of taste
Foods that must be avoided during the healing process include:
Salt and salty foods like cured meats, aged cheeses and pickles are to be avoided since the interaction between exposed flesh and salt can cause complications. Salt-water or saline solutions pose no problems, however, when used alongside a medical mouthwash. Spicy foods are sure to irritate split tissue. Anything too acidic, including citrus fruit. Strong alcohol such as spirits. Tea and coffee. Dry foods that are abrasive on the tongue.
During the recovery process, one is expected to experience mild discomfort for the first few days. Pain medication can be prescribed to lessen this. One is to expect swelling of the tongue, difficulty with speech to some degree, and difficulty with chewing and swallowing.
Only soft foods that require no chewing must be consumed for the first 48 hours.
The pain is expected to go away after two weeks or so. Speech difficulties must disappear after around three days. Hence what we discussed can be the estimated cost of tongue splitting.
Question 1: How dangerous is tongue splitting?Answer 1: According to The Guardian, The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS), urge anyone having this kind of modification to go to the hospital urgently if bleeding or infection occurred.
The group’s chair, Patrick Magennis, said: “Although skin can be cleaned with antiseptic before piercings, the mouth cannot be cleaned in the same way. There is always a mix of germs, good and bad, and breaching the protective lining can let in a life-threatening bug.
Question 2: Can a split tongue grow back?Answer 2: A tongue split won’t grow back together completely, however, some regrowth is to be expected during the healing process. One can engage in exercises introduced by the surgeon to discourage regrowth.
Question 3: Regarding mobility:Answer 3: After one has fully recovered (1-2 weeks), one can begin the process of retraining one’s tongue to do things. Relearning how to use one’s tongue and speak without slurring will take some time. Each half of the tongue has its own set of muscles and its own nerve system, and so, independent movement of each half is possible after the split. The younger one is, the more likely one is to carry these practices out with ease.
Question 4: Why do people get their tongues split?Answer 4: People have varied reasons for going through with this procedure, whether it be an interest in the possibilities of increased mobility, purely aesthetic value, or a higher sense of identification with oneself. The first documented procedure was performed in Italy around 1994, and was popularized by a sideshow performer named Erik Sprague, known professionally as The Lizardman.
