Tongue piercing questions.?

Question

i got my tongue pierced sunday [8/24/08]

and i am mouthwashing like 4 times a day with listerine

mostly after i finish eating.

so is this fine? or do i need to do more so it will heal good.

how long will it heal if i keep doing this process?

and idk if i am paranoid but i think the bar is a bit small

does it have to be really long? like have some bar always

out? or is my tongue still swollen?

Answer 1

Ok, stop using mouthwash. It is WAY too harsh (contains alcohol) and can lead to more problems than it helps. Start doing rinses with a sea salt solution. Mix 1/4 tsp sea salt with 1 cup warm water, swish it around inside your mouth for a few minutes 3-4 times per day.

Mouthwash can kill the good bacteria in your mouth, which can lead to a thrush infection (it's a yeast infection in your mouth) which is why you may have been told to avoid things like bread. It will also irritate the piercing and can prolong healing.

As long as a bit of the bar is showing, it's fine. Your tongue is probably still a bit swollen, swelling can last up to two weeks. If it's problematic, take a bit of ibuprofen. Once the swelling is completely gone, you will need to go back to your piercer to have the barbell downsized so you don't chip your teeth.

Answer 2

that seems right - if you smoke rinse after every ciggerette

once healed you can get a longer bar

they pierce with small ones all the time

mine ruined my teeth enamel i had to take it out. mouth always tasted like metal to

Answer 3

soon as you get it pierced it swells honestly and then some people it don't it just depends on your body really.

    *  Comfortable: 3 days to 2 weeks

    * Healing Time: 6 months

    * Rinse frequently with warm salty water.

    * Ask for your piercer's mobile phone number.

    * Avoid putting anything dirty in your mouth and refrain from kissing and oral s*x during the healing phase.

    * Cold foods are best at first (e.g. ice-cream, milk shakes).

    * Do not play with the jewelry against your teeth or press it into your gums.

    * Never leave your jewelry out for more than a few hours during the first 6 months - the piercing may close.

    * Take vitamin C and zinc to maximise your healing.

    * To minimise swelling in the first few days, suck on ice-cubes and antibacterial/anti-inflammatory throat lozenges, and try not to talk too much.

Care Routine

    * Day 1

         1. Advice

            Ask for the mobile phone number of your piercer. Misery is common during the first few days and you may worry about the swelling. I like to be available for re-assurance or advice.

         2. Bleeding

            The tongue has an excellent blood supply so expect some blood in your mouth during and just after the procedure.

         3. Pain

            You will experience some soreness for the first day or so. Paracetamol (e.g.Panadol, Tylenol) is an appropriate pain-reliever which may help you to sleep on the first night. Do not use aspirin as it promotes bleeding.

        Days 2 - 5

         1. Cold Drinks

            Keep a supply of iced water on hand and sip this as required to reduce discomfort and swelling. Sucking ice cubes will also help.

         2. Food

            At this stage it may be difficult to talk and eat because your tongue will be swollen. It is important to maintain your food intake during the healing period. High-calorie foods (e.g. milkshakes, ice-cream) will keep up your energy levels – if you do not eat enough, the healing process may be delayed. Cold foods are better tolerated than hot foods.You should avoid anything spicy, or stringy foods that may get caught on your new piercing.

         3. Mouthwashing

                o Rinse your mouth with salty water as often as you like. The correct proportion is 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt to 8 ounces (250mls) of bottled water. Sea salt can be purchased from supermarkets or delicatessans. Do NOT use iodised salt as the iodine slows healing.

                o Try sucking antibacterial/anti-inflammatory throat lozenges such as Difflam ® to reduce the swelling.

                o Use a disinfectant mouthwash after eating:

                      + Biotene ®

                      + Listerine ®:It should be diluted to a quarter of the usual strength – otherwise the mouthwash will destroy your naturally occurring enzymes and kill the exposed healing tissues.

                      + Oral_B ®

                      + Rembrandt ®

                      + Tech 2000

                o If your tongue turns brown or green this is a sign that you should reduce the amount of mouthwash that you are using.

                o Do not use mouthwashes or toothpastes containing peroxide.

         4. Pain

            After the first day you should not need any more pain relief.

         5. Plaque

            Buy a new soft bristle toothbrush. If any plaque forms on the jewelry itself, gently remove it with a toothbrush.

         6. Swelling

            You may experience some swelling on Day 1, but the worst swelling occurs during Days 2-4. The swelling often feels much worse than it really is. Ice and cold drinks will help reduce swelling. Hot foods, spicy foods, talking a lot will tend to increase the swelling.

         7. Worry

            It is common to feel a bit depressed and anxious at this time. As a doctor I very occasionally supply the patient with two diazepam 5mg tablets and ask the patient to take a quarter of a tablet night and morning. Diazepam is a muscle relaxant and anti-anxiety agent. It helps relax the muscles of the tongue and relax the patient. You should not drive if taking diazepam. If you are in a drug rehabilitation program you should discuss taking diazepam with your sponsor or doctor.

      

    * Days 6 - 14

         1. Changing Barbells

            Your initial barbell is usually longer than the your tongue is thick, to accommodate swelling. After 5 - 10 days most people will see their piercer to fit a shorter bar.

         2. Healing

            A tongue piercing should be very comfortable after 2 weeks. However the piercing is not permanent till 6 months have elapsed. Don’t play with or chew on your piercing as this can lead to the formation of scar tissue.

         3. Hygiene

            Avoid putting anything dirty in your mouth and refrain from kissing and oral s*x during the healing period.

         4. Safety Check

            You should check that the ball is firmly screwe

Answer 4

u should get a longer bar the first week coz ur tongue swells and it needs more space mine healed in 2 months complectley its normal to feel a little tiny hard ball where the piercing is for the first half year.. but be sore to keep it clean.. suck ice cubes to decrease the swelling and to make it go back normal earlier.. no spicy or hot food until its almost healed and no smoking or alcohol they slow down the healing process...

good luck!!! i always had part of the bar out coz my tongue is tiny...

tell ur piercer if anything looks wrong...

Answer 5

check out this website...it pretty much answers any questions you might have.

As far as the length of your bar...if your piercing place knew what they were doing, they hopefully chose the right size bar for your personal tongue piercing...may want to check into it.....

http://www.drbunn.com/piercing.htm

Answer 6

My tongue was swollen for a week, so if it doesn't decrease in size in a week or two, get a longer rod. Also listerine if fine, that's exactly what i did.