A tongue piercing is often a fun piece that makes a statement. The care that it requires isn’t like what you would perform for your ears or your belly. Since the piercing is in your mouth and a bit more difficult to reach, there are a few more details involved in caring for tongue ring barbells to prevent them from getting infected.
Cleaning
During the healing process, you need to take the proper precautions to clean the jewelry and the piercing site itself. When using a mouth rinse, make sure it doesn’t have any alcohol. You’ll usually be given a saline solution to rinse your mouth with after the piercing is done. Rinse your mouth after each meal, and leave a sterile gauze on the piercing for about 10 minutes at least twice a day.
Swelling
You’ll usually notice that tongue ring barbells can make your tongue swell soon after the piercing is performed. You could also notice a minimal amount of bleeding. These issues usually go away after about a week. You can suck on ice chips to help with the swelling and to help with any pain that you have. Ibuprofen is also good to take as it can help with inflammation and swelling. Try not to talk for the first few days after getting your tongue pierced. This will help with the healing process because you’re not moving your tongue around as much. Eat soft foods that don’t need to be chewed, such as applesauce or pudding.
Care for the Future
Even though there is a barbell in your mouth, you need to avoid playing with the jewelry. Change the piece often to prevent bacteria from building. When you brush your teeth, you need to brush the jewelry as well. A mouthguard should be worn while playing any contact sports or if you have a tendency to grind your teeth at night as the barbell could damage your teeth.
