Tongue and Lip Piercing Procedure and the Healing Period
Both tongue and lip piercings should always be performed by a professional piercer with a sterilised needle and NEVER with a piercing gun. Piercing guns should never be used because they cause significant damage to the tissue surrounding the piercing and are also more likely to cause infection. If a piercer attempts to use a piercing gun for the procedure you should ask to stop immediately as it is most likely the piercer is unqualified.
Tongue Piercings
When piercing your tongue a piercer will first examine the underside of your tongue and decide on a suitable position for the piercing. The tongue is a complex muscle and it is extremely important to avoid any major blood vessels when piercing the tongue. Your tongue will then be clamped with forceps and the needle will be inserted through the tongue. Sometimes this will be done top to bottom and other times vice versa; this depends on the type of needle the piercer uses. The chosen piece of jewellery will then be immediately inserted through the hole. There may be some bleeding but this should not be anything of any significance.
In the days following a tongue piercing your tongue could swell up as much as double its normal size; if this happens do not panic, it is completely normal. However, in rare cases this can interfere with breathing and at this point you obviously need to seek immediate medical attention. It could be that you have had an allergic reaction or have a severe infection. However, this is a rare occurrence. To help swelling piercers often advise cold beverages and sucking on crushed ice as well as taking Ibuprofen or another form of anti-inflammatory medication which will help reduce swelling and numb any pain. You should not need to take any medication after the first couple of days though; if you do then something may have gone wrong and you should seek medical attention.
Swelling should start to reduce within 3 to 4 days and after a week or so the swelling should have completely disappeared. It takes 6 to 8 weeks however for the tongue to heal completely. When the swelling reduces it is not uncommon for the hole to secrete a small amount of mucus; again completely normal and only temporary.
During the initial healing period (around 2 weeks) it is important that you do not do a number of things that may cause irritation or hinder the healing process:
- Drink alcohol or coffee
- Smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco
- Eat hot or spicy food
- Play with or touch the tongue
It is also important that you rinse your mouth with alcohol-free mouthwash before and after eating and drinking, or after it has been touched. It is also advised to only eat small amounts of soft food such as banana and mashed potato. If you cannot avoid smoking then it is extremely important that you rinse your mouth out with mouthwash after every cigarette. Once the swelling has completely subsided you may be able to cut down on your mouth rinsing and once the healing period is complete there is no need to rinse your mouth any more frequently than morning and night as per your usual oral hygiene routine.
Sometimes, when the tongue is fully healed you may see a hard spot appear around the pierced hole. This is also a normal and common occurrence and after a month or two it should go away.
Once the healing process is complete you will be able to replace the initial piece of jewellery with a smaller bar; the initial bar is much longer than normal ones to accommodate the swelling in the days following the piercing. If you cannot do the swap yourself this first time then you can go back to the piercer and they will change the bar for you.
You should never remove the jewellery for a long period of time as the tongue is an incredible muscle and within a few hours the hole may have closed; even if the piercing is completely healed.
Lip Piercings
Piercing the lip itself is a simple procedure similar to tongue piercing; the piercer will check the area and then put the needle through the skin before immediately inserting the jewellery. There may be some blood but nothing of significance.
The area is likely to swell within the first few days and again cold beverages, food and anti-inflammatory medication can help this. The swelling will subside after 7 to 10 days. The piercing will take anything between 2 and 6 months to heal completely, it depends on the person; the chosen jewellery; the quality of aftercare; even their genetics. During the initial healing period, again there are things you should try to avoid to help healing and avoid infection:
- Drinking alcohol and coffee
- Smoking
- Avoid putting dirty things in your mouth; for example, your fingernail, a pen lid
- Refrain from kissing and oral sex
- Try not to play with the piercing
To keep the piercing clean you should rinse the mouth with alcohol-free mouthwash before and after meals or after touching the piercing or bringing it into contact with something that may transfer germs and bacteria.
Furthermore, you should soak the wound in saline solution two to three times daily with a cotton swab during the healing process, each occasion for a period of three to five minutes. This will remove any bacteria, blood or mucus from the wound and keep it healthy. You should also turn the jewellery very carefully when soaking with the saline solution to dislodge any dirt in and around the piercing.
After eight weeks you should be able to change the jewellery with ease. It is possible to change it before this length of time but this should only ever be done by the piercer. Furthermore, as with tongue piercings, you should never remove the jewellery for long periods of time as the inside of the piercing will close extremely quickly.
It is important to remember that with these sorts of piercings there is a huge list of things you have to be aware of in terms of safety and oral health. The next section will look closely at the precautions you should take and the things you should be aware of before undergoing a piercing in the mouth. These piercings often have a major negative impact on your oral health and you should always go into something like this knowing the facts.