Operational impact of tongue piercing on French military pilots during overseas deployments: a case report.

Piercing in general and particularly tongue piercing is gaining popularity in the Western world. The French army and so the French air force are concerned by this phenomenon. A case report of a pilot suffering from dental pain with operational consequences due to a dental fracture during Operation Trident (Kosovo) is presented. The dental examination highlighted the fact that the dental fracture was directly due to the presence of a tongue piercing. Tongue piercing and wearing tongue jewelry have numerous adverse effects, especially frequent dental complications. If these complications do not result in death, they can generate sufficient pain to disturb the vigilance and concentration of pilots and can have a major impact on flight security. For these reasons, tongue piercing is in total contradiction to a professional army and particularly to military pilots and aircrews.