How To Take Care Of Your Tongue Piercing (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Take Care of Your Tongue Piercing PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Sasha Blue

Last Updated: March 10, 2025 Approved

PDF download Download Article
  • Getting the Piercing
    • |
  • Surviving the Initial Healing Period
    • |
  • Cleaning it Properly
    • |
  • Wearing the Right Jewelry
    • |
  • Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Warnings
|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Sasha Blue. Sasha Blue is a Professional Body Piercer and the Owner of 13 Bats Tattoo and Piercing Studio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sasha has over 20 years of professional body piercing experience, starting with her apprenticeship in 1997. She is licensed with the County of San Francisco in California. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 38 testimonials and 95% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,065,323 times.

If you get a tongue piercing, it is crucial that you take care of it properly. Tongue piercings can easily become infected due to improper care. Follow these few simple guidelines to clean and maintain your tongue piercing and it will heal perfectly in no time!

Things You Should Know

  • Get your tongue pierced at a reputable, clean shop that uses sterilized needles.
  • Use ice chips to soothe your initial symptoms and avoid alcohol, spicy food, tobacco, or chewing gum while your tongue heals.
  • Rinse with alcohol-free mouthwash 4-5 times a day while the piercing heals; you can use sea salt or anti-microbial soap to soothe irritation directly if you’d like.
  • Change your jewelry out after the initial swelling dissipates to keep your tongue from getting infected.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 4:

Getting the Piercing

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  1. Step 1 Get permission. 1 Get permission. If you are under 18, make sure you get permission from a parent or guardian before you get the piercing. You need to have this approval so that you don't waste your time taking care of a piercing that you'll just have to take out regardless.
  2. Step 2 Do your research. 2 Do your research. Find a piercer with a good reputation at a reputable tattoo or piercing shop. Read customer reviews online to find out information about the piercer's reputation, and make sure the piercer has completed an apprenticeship with a reputable piercer. Advertisement
  3. Step 3 Check out the shop. 3 Check out the shop. It is crucial for a piercing/tattoo shop to be sterile and clean. If you go to the store, and it does not appear immaculately clean, don't get a piercing there.[1]
  4. Step 4 Make sure sterile utensils are used. 4 Make sure sterile utensils are used. When you get the piercing, make sure that the piercer opens up a package of unused, sterile needles to use for your piercing. This is crucial to prevent the spread of infection and disease.[2]
  5. Step 5 Expect a little pain. 5 Expect a little pain. The piercing itself will hurt minimally. The initial healing and swelling are the worst part.
  6. Step 6 Don't be surprised. 6 Don't be surprised. For the actual piercing, the piercer will take a clamp and put it on your tongue to hold it in place. This protects you from jerking when the piercing happens.[3]
    7. Advertisement
Quiz

wikiHow Quiz: What Piercing Should I Get?

Piercings are a great way to express yourself and enhance your style, but there are so many to choose from. How can you be sure you pick the perfect piercing for your personality and look? You’ve come to the right place. Answer these fun questions, and we’ll match you to the piercing of your dreams. 1 of 13

Which words best describe you?

Fun & bubbly

Hip & adventurous

Artistic & unique

Edgy & rebellious

Next Part 2 Part 2 of 4:

Surviving the Initial Healing Period

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  1. Step 1 Know what to expect. 1 Know what to expect. There will be more symptoms for the first 3-5 days immediately after getting the piercing. Expect to see swelling, light bleeding, bruising, and tenderness, especially during this initial period.[4]
  2. Step 2 Use ice chips to help with swelling. 2 Use ice chips to help with swelling. Drink lots of ice cold water and let small ice chips melt in your mouth to help keep the swelling down. Make sure they are small ice chips so you don't freeze your mouth.[5]
    • Don't suck on the ice chips; just let them melt in your mouth.
  3. Step 3 Avoid potentially harmful objects and activities. 3 Avoid potentially harmful objects and activities. It's a good idea to avoid tobacco and alcohol during the initial week of healing.[6] You should also avoid large amounts of caffeine, oral sexual contact (including french kissing), chewing gum, and playing with your jewelry.[7]
  4. Step 4 Avoid spicy, hot, salty or acidic foods for a while. 4 Avoid spicy, hot, salty or acidic foods for a while. These can cause stinging and burning sensations on and near the piercing.[8]
  5. Step 5 Expect some discharge. 5 Expect some discharge. Even if you follow these steps and do exactly what the aftercare sheet says, there could still be a whitish goo that come out of the piercing hole. This is normal and is not an infection. Just make sure that it is not puss.[9]
    6. Advertisement
Part 3 Part 3 of 4:

Cleaning it Properly

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  1. Step 1 Rinse your mouth. 1 Rinse your mouth. After you get the piercing, use alcohol-free mouthwash 4 or 5 times daily for up to 60 seconds, including after meals and at bedtimes.[10]
  2. Step 2 Clean the piercing. 2 Clean the piercing. To clean the outside of the piercing, dab sea salt on the piercing 2 to 3 times daily and wash with mild anti-microbial soap up to twice a day.[11]
  3. Step 3 Wash your hands. 3 Wash your hands. Always wash your hands with antibacterial soap before cleaning or touching the piercing or jewelry.[12] Never touch the piercing except during moments of cleaning.
  4. Step 4 Dry the piercing properly. 4 Dry the piercing properly. Dry the piercing after cleaning with a paper towel or napkin instead of a bath towel or cloth. Towels can contain germs and bacteria, so it is better to use a disposable paper product instead.[13]
    5. Advertisement
Part 4 Part 4 of 4:

Wearing the Right Jewelry

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  1. Step 1 Check the balls regularly. 1 Check the balls regularly. Occasionally, the balls on tongue piercing bars can become unscrewed or loose over time. It is important that you regularly check to make sure they are tight. Use one hand to hold the bottom ball in place and use the other hand to tighten the top ball.[14]
    • Note: To tighten the balls, remember twisting to the right tightens and twisting to the left loosens.
  2. Step 2 Change the jewelry after the initial swelling dissipates. 2 Change the jewelry after the initial swelling dissipates. Know that the original jewelry should be replaced with shorter jewelry after the swelling has reduced. See your piercer for this change, because it usually will be during the healing period.[15]
  3. Step 3 Choose the right style for you. 3 Choose the right style for you. Once the initial healing process is over, you can pick any of the many styles of jewelry for your tongue piercing. Just keep in mind if you have metal allergies or sensitivities to certain materials.
    4. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search Add New Question
  • Question Why does it matter if my mouthwash is alcohol-based or alcohol-free? Community Answer Community Answer An alcohol-based mouthwash can irritate your piercing and make it more painful. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 7 Helpful 118
  • Question Can I drink warm tea with sugar within the first week of getting my tongue pierced? Community Answer Community Answer Yes, you will be able to eat normally after a week. It can take up to three to ten days for the swelling to go down, just make sure you're cleaning it after every meal or drink if it isn't water. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 55
  • Question Is it normal for the ball to make a spot in my tongue? Community Answer Community Answer Yes. During the healing and swelling it may leave a dent. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 102
See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Tips

  • Cold drinks can help soothe and reduce swelling during the healing. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1
  • Have bottled water with sea salt in it with you at all times if you have a busy schedule. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
  • Keep your head elevated while sleeping to reduce swelling throughout the night. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
Show More Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
  • If you smoke, rinse your mouth with warm water and sea salt or mouthwash after you’re done.
  • Drink bottled water for the first 1-2 weeks to prevent contamination.
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • If swelling still occurs one month after getting pierced, see a doctor. Swelling should only last 2-6 days. Thanks Helpful 172 Not Helpful 31
  • Always remember to keep the piercing in for at least two weeks before changing the jewelry so that it doesn't close up. The piercing will close in under 30 minutes if you take the piercing out too soon. Thanks Helpful 134 Not Helpful 35
  • Don't gargle with a lot of salt water. This will irritate the freshly pierced tongue, and it burns. Thanks Helpful 155 Not Helpful 44
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/how-to-pick-a-tattoo-shop
  2. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/piercings/art-20047317
  3. ↑ https://www.oralanswers.com/pierced-tongue-procedure/
  4. ↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
  5. ↑ https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/ce-courses/ce423/aftercare-for-piercings
  6. ↑ Sasha Blue. Professional Body Piercer. Expert Interview
  7. ↑ https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/ce-courses/ce423/aftercare-for-piercings
  8. ↑ Sasha Blue. Professional Body Piercer. Expert Interview
  9. ↑ https://www.dentalcare.com/en-us/ce-courses/ce423/aftercare-for-piercings
More References (6)
  1. ↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
  2. ↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
  3. ↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
  4. ↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
  5. ↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
  6. ↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/

About This Article

Sasha Blue Co-authored by: Sasha Blue Professional Body Piercer This article was co-authored by Sasha Blue. Sasha Blue is a Professional Body Piercer and the Owner of 13 Bats Tattoo and Piercing Studio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sasha has over 20 years of professional body piercing experience, starting with her apprenticeship in 1997. She is licensed with the County of San Francisco in California. This article has been viewed 1,065,323 times. 50 votes - 95% Co-authors: 52 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 1,065,323 Categories: Care of Piercings | Piercings In other languages Spanish Italian Portuguese German Russian French Indonesian Dutch Korean Czech
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,065,323 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Bobbie Harvey

    Bobbie Harvey

    May 4, 2017

    "This is the first time I have gotten my tongue pierced and I was worried, because it really hurts, but I have only..." more
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Sasha Blue Co-authored by: Sasha Blue Professional Body Piercer Co-authors: 52 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 1,065,323 95% of readers found this article helpful. 50 votes - 95% Click a star to add your vote Bobbie Harvey

Bobbie Harvey

May 4, 2017

"This is the first time I have gotten my tongue pierced and I was worried, because it really hurts, but I have only..." more Dalena Nguyen

Dalena Nguyen

Oct 23, 2016

"I'm nervous, because this is my first time getting my tongue pierced. Reading this and the tips and questions..." more Carrie Warkentin

Carrie Warkentin

Apr 14, 2018

"Every side effect possible was listed and that they were normal helped a lot. Plus a lot of ideas on how to clean..." more Tyler Goering

Tyler Goering

Jan 13, 2022

"I just got my tongue pierced and it hurts like hell but I'm trying to take care of it. I can't eat very..." more Olivia

Olivia

Jul 29, 2016

"The sea salt tip was helpful. I didn't know I could do that. My piercer didn't inform me. My tongue feels..." more Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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