Before going into these interesting and fascinating facts about tongue piercings, it’s important we give those at the back of the class some basic education on what piercing and tongue piercing is all about.
What Tongue Piercing Should I Get?
This is the first question you should think of whenever you decide to get your tongue pierced. Here, let us check how many types of tongue piercings are out there.
Midline Tongue Piercing: This is the most common tongue piercing type.
It is placed in the midline of the tongue with a needle, it is usually 1.9 cm away from the tongue tip, specifically, it is decided of the vessel and the frenulum, the piercer will choose the place that no vessel and frenulum, so this tongue piercing type is the most common and painless.
The tongue ring is a straight barbell, the first tongue barbell will be a little longer than the one when you wear after the piercing wound is healed.
Side Tongue Piercing: The side tongue piercing is almost the same place as the Midline Piercing from the tongue tip.
But it is not in the middle of the tongue, but to one side, the left or the right side.
It is generally a straight tongue barbell, too. I personally think it is somehow cute, and a little naughty compared to the midline tongue piercing.
Frenulum Tongue Piercing: Also known as tongue web piercing. Which is under the tongue piercnig, this is a really special one, not common to see.
It is because of two reasons, one is that this piercing is under the tongue, so you cannot see it unless the tongue is lifted up.
The other reason is that the frenulum is a small fold of mucous membrane extending from the floor of the mouth to the midline of the underside of the tongue. (Wikipedia)
So the thickness and the length of the frenulum is not the same for everyone, not everyone can have a frenulum piercing.
Snake Eyes Piercing: It is a horizontal tongue piercing.
There are two piercing holes in the horizontal line, the holes are nearly the tip of the tongue, when wearing the barbell with two balls on the end, it is like the eye of a snake, reason why it’s called the snake eyes tongue piercing.
This type looks cute and sexy. It usually matches the barbells with round balls end.
Horizontal/Vertical Tongue Piercing: This one has two piercing holes in the same horizontal line, like the snake eyes, but they are different, it is the distance from the tip to the piercing place.
The horizontal tongue piercing is farther than the snake eyes tongue piercing.
The vertical tongue piercing is someone horizontal to the direction of the tongue, it is nearly the same place as the horizontal tongue piercing.
Multiple Tongue Piercing, or Mix Tongue Piercing. This is some type that pierces the tongue as like and possible.
Maybe the snake eye piercing and the vertical piercing, maybe the double vertical tongue piercing.
Why do People Get Tongue Piercings?
Why people get a tongue piercing or what’s good for tongue piercing?
Let’s talk about it from the tongue piercing history.
Piercing the tongue has a long history in religious and performance practices. Mesoamericans such as the Aztecs practiced this as well as other perforations as a part of offerings to their deities. Asian Spirit Mediums of the Far East practiced tongue piercing as an offering and proof of trance state.
It is in the 1980s, because of the high quality, surgical steel barbell style jewelry, the tongue piercing become the second most popular piercing. The ancient tongue piercing is connected with religion and race, now become fashion again due to the material progress.
Nowadays, the tongue piercing is more like a personality logo of oneself. The young girls and boys want to show others their personality, their likes, and want to be the leader in fashion and peer.
How the Tongue Piercing Is Done?
The piercer will check the underside of the tongue for large blood vessels, sometimes with a bright light, and mark a safe placement for the piercing.
The tongue is then clamped with forceps and pierced with a needle, usually from top to bottom with a piercing needle or from bottom to top with a cannula needle. (Referred from Wikipedia).
How Does Tongue Piercings Heal？
How does tongue piercing heal? When does tongue piecing heal? This is the most cared questions.
It takes about 4-6 weeks for the tongue piercing wound to heal completely. The tongue piercing heal process can have 4 stages.
Days 1-7 In the first week, the wound will be swelling and painful. You will feel uneasy to talk, eat, drink.
You should pay more attention at this stage. Having fluid food, not hot, not spicy. Do not drink alcohol, do not smoke. Cleaning the wound twice a day with saline water.
Days 8-14 In this stage, the wound is less painful, the swelling may disappear or reduce little, you are much better with the talking and eating.
You can have soft solid food, but do it carefully, do not touch the wound. Do not drink hot, alcohol, and no smoking. Continue the saline water cleaning every day.
Days 15-28 For most people, in this stage, they are nearly familiar with all the behavior of the piercing, they can talking smoothly. As the wound maybe look heal in the surface, but actually, they are not healed completely, so still no crazy move.
Can change the soft food to the hard food, still not too spicy, not too hot. No alcohol, no smoking. Remember cleaning everyday.
Days 29-42 Congratulations! You have experienced all the stage and would completely heal, now can show your beautiful tongue rings to your friends.
All the beautiful things need the cost, after a long heal time, you got the loved piercing. Really great！
How Tongue Piercing Hurts?
The usually hurts and visibly can be seen is the piercing wound and the irritation.
Because it is pierced through the tongue from the bottom to the top, so the hole truly be pain, and may have some blood.
After the piercing, the healing stage is also a challenge, the wound needs time to heal, during the process, you need to speak, eating and drinking, all these actions may generate the irritation to the wound.
So compared to the piercing, the healing stage is more difficult.
Will Tongue Piercing Close/Will Tongue Piercing Close Overnight?
The tongue piercing will close if you do not wear any tongue rings after the piercing.
The tongue is the body tissue, it has the auto-heal function. So if you really want the tongue piercing for a long time, until you do not want again in the future, it is better that you keep the tongue ring on.
Especially after bearing the piercing pain, it is a pity if not wearing the loved rings.
But, if you have worn a tongue ring for a long time, and do not want any more, you can take off the ring and let the tongue heal itself.
Will Tongue Piercing Affect My Speech?
Yes, the tongue piercing will affect your speech, especially at the beginning.
At the healing stage, you will find that the tongue is painful, so you cannot open your mouth wide or curl the tongue.
When the tongue wound is healing, but still may have some effects, if wearing a long tongue ring.
Does Tongue Piercings Affect Braces？
Yes, the tongue piercings will might affect the braces.
When you wear a long heavy tongue ring, the ring may touch and hit the brace when you make a big action, this hit may make the brace away from the right position, and if the tongue ring involved in the brace wire, the brace may move away.
So it’s better to postpone visiting a piercing shop for a tongue piercing if you still have your braces on.
When Can I Change My Tongue Piercing？
It is better to keep the first tongue ring until the wound is healed.
You cannot change the tongue ring in the healing stage, because changing it too early may cause serious tongue infection and will be very painful.
It usually takes 4-6 weeks to get the tongue healed completely, then you can change the first tongue ring into your loved ones.
Can I Smoke With Tongue Piercing？
Yes or No.
It is yes, but not recommended, for the smoking has nothing beneficial for the tongue piercing, especially in the healing stage.
When in the healing stage, smoking may do some damage to your tongue. The smoking needs to curl your tongue, this may increase the wound heavy, you will feel more painful.
The smoking will let the tongue touch cigarette and may make the tongue be infectious.
So smoking will add too much pain, it is better to stay away from it in the healing stage.
Is It Hard to Eat With A Tongue Piercing?
Yes, it is, but in just a short time.
During the healing time, especially in the first few days, it is likely you’ll feel uncomfortable with the tongue ring, you may bite or chew the ball easily.
But after some days, you will be more and more familiar with the tongue ring.
To be better used to it, in the first few days, you should eat Liquid or fluid food.
Does Tongue Piercing Cause Receding Gums?
Tongue piercing has also been associated with receding gums, a condition referred to as periodontal disease.
This is reported to happen to about 19% to 68% of people with tongue piercing.
This is attributed to friction between the barbell and the gums of the lower teeth.
This irritation is said to cause the gums to recede.
Which Tongue Piercing Is Less Painful?
The tongue piercing is not too painful that you cannot bear, you should also know that pain levels depend on each and every one.
Before the piercing, the piercer will examine the tongue, paying attention to the location of blood vessels, then make the piercing as swiftly as possible with a cannula needle.
It is crucial to get the tongue piercing done by a qualified and professional body piercer. The importance of this cannot be overemphasized.
How to Heal A Tongue Piercing Fast?
Follow these tips for a safe, comfortable healing course:
Eat slowly and take small bites;
Focus on keeping your tongue level. The jewelry can get between your teeth when it turns;
Avoid foods like mashed potatoes or oatmeal; they may be soft, but they are hard to eat because they to stick to your mouth and jewelry;
Smoothies, shakes, energy drinks, ice cream, soups, and the like are good menu mainstays;
Use clean fingers or utensils to place small bites of solid food between your molars. The tongue moves food to the back of the mouth, so food that is already there requires less manipulation;
Cold and frozen foods are soothing and help to minimize swelling;
Salty, spicy, acidic, or hot foods and beverages may be irritating;
A certain amount of speaking is unavoidable, but when your piercing is fresh, try to let your tongue rest as much as possible;
Do not play with your tongue or jewelry.
What Tongue Jewelry Should I Have?
The initial barbell should be just long enough to accommodate the maximum size for expected swelling.
An overly long barbell can cause serious damage to delicate intraoral structures, so wearing the correct size is vital.
Your piercer must weigh a number of elements to figure the length that will be optimal for initial healing.
The farther back the piercing is placed, the greater the expected swelling. Piercings at the tip are not inclined to swell much, so 1/16 inch extra may be sufficient.
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