The Court of Appeal ruled in March that tongue splitting is prohibited when performed by a body modification practitioner for cosmetic purposes, even when permission is obtained. The US military expressly prohibits tongue-splitting. The World Health Organization also views this practice as dangerous and invasive and has classified it as a human rights violation. Tongue splitting is the process of dividing the tongue so that it cannot be returned to its normal position. This can be done either by surgically separating it from the floor of the mouth or by simply cutting it horizontally with a knife or razor. Either method allows for more room in the mouth than if the tongue was not divided. Tongue splitters believe this makes their tongues look bigger and allow them to speak with less effort. There are two types of tongue splitters: surgeons and nippers. Surgeons typically use surgical tools such as scalpels, knives, and razors to divide the tongue while nippers usually use dental tools such as files, scoops, and needles to do so. Neither technique is safe for humans due to the risk of infection and injury to blood vessels and nerves that reside near the tongue.