How to Take Care of Your Tongue Piercing

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Body piercing expert Lynn Loheide goes over the proper aftercare for a tongue piercing

Co-authored by Lynn Loheide

Last Updated: March 21, 2026 Approved

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Getting the Piercing

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Surviving the Initial Healing Period

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Cleaning it Properly

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Wearing the Right Jewelry

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

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!

How to Care for a Tongue Piercing

Body piercing expert Lynn Loheide says to brush, floss, and rinse your mouth 2-3 times per day with an alcohol-free mouthwash. Reduce swelling with cold water and ice chips. Avoid alcohol, spicy food, tobacco, or chewing gum while your tongue heals. Then, change your jewelry out after the initial swelling dissipates.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Getting the Piercing

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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.
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.

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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]
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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]
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Mayo Clinic
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The piercing itself will hurt minimally. The initial healing and swelling are the worst part.
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]
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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.

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Part 2

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Surviving the Initial Healing Period

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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]
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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]
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- Don't suck on the ice chips; just let them melt in your mouth.
It's a good idea to avoid tobacco and alcohol during the initial week of healing.^{[6]
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Sasha Blue
Professional Body Piercer

Expert Interview} You should also avoid large amounts of caffeine, oral sexual contact (including french kissing), chewing gum, and playing with your jewelry.^{[7]
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These can cause stinging and burning sensations on and near the piercing.^{[8]
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Sasha Blue
Professional Body Piercer

Expert Interview}
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]
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Part 3

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Cleaning it Properly

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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]
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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]
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Always wash your hands with antibacterial soap before cleaning or touching the piercing or jewelry.^{[12]
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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]
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Wearing the Right Jewelry

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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]
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- Note: To tighten the balls, remember twisting to the right tightens and twisting to the left loosens.
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]
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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.

Community Q&A

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Question

Why does it matter if my mouthwash is alcohol-based or alcohol-free?

Community Answer

An alcohol-based mouthwash can irritate your piercing and make it more painful.

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Question

Can I drink warm tea with sugar within the first week of getting my tongue pierced?

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.

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Is it normal for the ball to make a spot in my tongue?

Community Answer

Yes. During the healing and swelling it may leave a dent.

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Tips

Cold drinks can help soothe and reduce swelling during the healing.

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Have bottled water with sea salt in it with you at all times if you have a busy schedule.

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Keep your head elevated while sleeping to reduce swelling throughout the night.

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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.

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Warnings

If swelling still occurs one month after getting pierced, see a doctor. Swelling should only last 2-6 days.

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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.

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Don't gargle with a lot of salt water. This will irritate the freshly pierced tongue, and it burns.

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