Tongue Piercing Types, care and history

Table of contents

• Tongue Piercing Types at a Glance
• The History of Tongue Piercing
• Proper tongue piercing care
• When can I change my tongue piercing?
• What to do if the tongue piercing is infected?

Tongue Piercing Types at a Glance

Tongue piercings come in different types and designs so everyone can choose the piercings that suit them best.

With a frenulum piercing, the mucous membrane under the tongue that connects the oral cavity with the middle part of the tongue is pierced. Suitable jewelry for this piercing are curved barbells and ball closure rings.

The classic tongue piercings are pierced vertically through the tongue. The most popular jewelry for this type of piercing is barbells, which can be decorated with colorful or glittery balls, depending on your taste.

Venom bites are two vertical tongue piercings placed next to each other at a relatively short distance. This piercing is an eye-catcher.

The History of Tongue Piercing

Piercing the tongue has been a religious ritual in various cultures for many centuries. However, people there do not wear permanent jewelry on their tongues. Tongue piercings, as we know them today, became established as a particular fashion in the 1990s and continue to enjoy lasting popularity to this day.

Proper tongue piercing care

Immediately after the tongue piercing, it may become moderately to severely swollen, which is why an extra-long initial piece of jewelry is used during the piercing. To encourage the swelling to go down, you can suck on ice cubes, preferably made from chamomile or sage tea. It is also helpful to place the head in an elevated position for the first few nights. It takes about four to eight weeks for the piercing wound to heal, and the initial jewelry should be replaced with a shorter bar after about two weeks. In the first few weeks, you should avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine as well as spicy, hot, and acidic foods. Dairy products in any form should be avoided. You should also rinse your mouth 2 to 3 times a day with a mild, alcohol-free mouthwash.

When can I change my piercing?

The tongue piercings normally heal within four to eight weeks, which is because it is a mucous membrane piercing. However, you should replace the jewelry before it has completely healed and switch to a shorter bar to prevent injuries to the gums and tooth enamel. We recommend that you come back to our studio after about two weeks so that we can change the jewelry. Once the pierced area has completely healed, you can also change the jewelry yourself. It is important to know the right jewelry size, especially the bar length of a barbell.

What to do if it is infected?

First of all, stay calm. A yellowish-green coating on the tongue is normal during the healing phase. The piercing throws the oral flora out of balance and now needs time to rebuild itself. A long-lasting, light to moderate swelling can also be normal, as muscle tissue is being pierced. The release of the body’s secretions looks worse than it is with this piercing. The moist environment and the saliva in the mouth prevent the wound secretion from crusting over, which can give the impression of a festering wound. Mild muscle soreness and bleeding can also occur in the first few days.