Caring for New Tongue Piercings

Keeping your mouth clean while your tongue heals from any new tongue piercings is especially important. Having a swollen and tender tongue is no fun for anyone and you really need to be diligent to avoid an infection in your mouth. The first step you need to take is buying a new toothbrush. Your old one will have too many germs that can infect your new piercing.

The second step is to remember to use the toothbrush at least twice a day. It does not matter if you clean your piercing twice a day and rinse after you eat, if you do not brush your teeth. Your mouth will still be full of harmful bacteria. Caring for a new tongue piercing starts with good oral hygiene.

Your piercing needs to be cleaned twice each day just like any other piercing that is healing. You may want to use salt water to clean the piercing as it can be an effective cleaner and can ease any pain from a new piercing. After doing a salt water rinse you will need to wash the piercing with a residue free solution like Nature’s Pure Defense. It is not only residue free but it is perfectly ph balanced to promote healing.

Melting ice in your mouth can also ease the pain of a newly pierced tongue. Many people also like to use ice cream or popsicles as a tasty alternative. Just make sure that you rinse your piercing with the residue free wash after you eat anything. This keeps food and sugar from clinging to the piercing and jewelry and promoting bacterial growth.

Here are a few things that you should avoid when you are caring for a new tongue piercing:

• Avoid smoking, chewing tobacco, snuff and chewing gum
• Do not click the jewelry against your teeth because it can damage tooth enamel
• Do not play with the jewelry because it can cause tearing or infection
• Do not engage in any activity with the mouth (including open mouth kissing) that will allow the exchange of body fluids