3 Tips for Caring for a Tongue Piercing After It's Healed

Healing tongue piercings is sometimes more involved since they are oral piercings. Extra procedures like salt rinses come into play compared to most other body piercings that only require salt spray and irrigation. It’s important that tongue piercings are fully healed before moving forward so that infection is no longer a risk. The initial healing phase may be over, but this does not mean tongue piercing care is finished. These three different approaches to essential long-term care will ensure there are no tongue piercing issues down the road.

Daily Oral Care

The first step to long-term care is making sure that the healing process is successfully completed. Moving on from healing is ideal if it’s been one to two months and the tongue piercing is no longer swollen or sensitive. Regular salt-water rinses are not necessary after this timeframe since the piercing is no longer healing.

It is especially important to keep up with oral health so that infection is not a concern. Make sure teeth brushing happens least once per day to keep bacteria in check. This includes brushing the jewelry on both sides, especially the bottom, to avoid plaque build-up. Flossing and rinsing with mouth wash are great ideas as well since complications can arise from poor oral hygiene. Rinsing with salt-water or alcohol-free mouth wash such as H2Ocean healing rinse or Bactine is preferred over alcohol-based mouthwash.

Downsize & Use High Quality Jewelry

The last thing anyone wants is an ugly allergic reaction on their tongue. Having the right jewelry is essential to reduce the risk of irritation. Downsizing after healing is recommended by professionals to minimize the risk of chipping teeth and gum recession. The downsized barbell should be closely fitted to the tongue with very little extra length to limit movement.

If there’s a risk of allergic reaction, consider what metal would ease those worries. Titanium is the best metal in this case because it is non-reactive and hypoallergenic. Titanium can also be anodized to create different colors for a unique piece of jewelry. If allergies aren’t as much of a concern, surgical stainless steel and 14k gold jewelry are both options to consider. Reliable and safe jewelry will minimize overall concern during long-term care.

Dental Check Ups

Studies have shown that tongue piercings can increase gum recession, and tooth trauma over time. Keeping up with dentist appointments is especially important for healthy tongue piercings. Any dentist will be able to spot these potential issues and can help formulate a plan for how to deal with them. It’s always better to be informed and current on oral health so problems can be fixed early on. Being observant about potential mishaps like cracked teeth will help to ensure there are no unpleasant piercing surprises. Staying in touch with a dentist is also recommended should these problems arise.

Long-term care of tongue piercings is worth taking seriously. Successful long-term care minimizes the chance of health issues in the future. While it is important to not put tongue piercings at risk, some things can’t be planned for. These issues should be easy to deal with if the right ideas are considered. Consistent oral health, regular dental check ups and higher quality jewelry will all but guarantee that any tongue piercing is well taken care of.