We began to receive a lot of questions such as; how painful is a tongue piercing, do tongue piercing make oral better, what are the benefits of tongue piercing, and many other questions around piercing the tongue after we made a post about helix piercing, which is a type of piercing for the ear.
Honestly, some of us often take our tongues for granted, even though they are responsible for many of our life’s joys. It sculpts the sound and tone of our voice, how delicious food tastes, how to speak beautifully, and how to make our partner feel good. What more appropriate way to applaud it other than by getting your tongue pierced? Oh yeah!
To produce sound, the tongue is made of numerous separate muscles. You need to be careful about placement as a result. Choose a skilled piercer to place the piercing so it doesn’t make it hard for you to speak. However, do tongue piercings change your voice? There is no discernible difference in voice between people with pierced and unpierced tongues.
Despite the tongue’s complexity, piercing it is a relatively low-risk process. So, before thinking of having your tongue pierced, you should first consider your dental hygiene.
Also, consider the security of your teeth and the possibility that your fluency will probably be impacted for at least a few weeks (the healing period) while you adjust to your new piercing. Do you want your tongue pierced? Here is all you need to know.
Is Tongue Piercing For Everyone?
No, as with any piercing, several anatomical conditions preclude the safe use of tongue piercings. Your piercer may be unable to carry out the procedure, for example, if you have tight webbing under your tongue or are tongue-tied.
Most piercers are in this field because they enjoy what they do and want to make their clients feel comfortable with their bodies by adding piercings.
It is always in your best interest if a piercer says that the piercing cannot be done safely or suggests a different location better suited to your anatomy.
Correct, safe fitting and placement are other things to consider, which may vary from one person to another depending on their physiology and way of life. Whatever the piercing, if anything is put inside your mouth, there’s a possibility you’re hurting your teeth, gums, enamel, or anything else.
Is Tongue Piercing Painful?
Yes, getting your tongue pierced hurts, but how painful it is or how badly it will disturb you depends on you. However, some people claim that the healing procedure is much more excruciating than the actual piercing, while others feel the pain of a tongue piercing is fairly mild.
How Long Will A Tongue Piercing Pain Last?
The pain can only last for a few seconds immediately after the initial piercing. After this, the pain of the healing process may begin. Your tongue will continue to hurt while it heals, however. Most people feel a lot of swelling after getting their tongue pierced, but this is a normal reaction.
When it is swollen, your tongue will be sensitive, slightly uncomfortable, and possibly bleed sometimes. Fortunately, this phase only typically lasts 5 days.
The first week of recovery may see some edema, but it should subside quickly. If you tug on or bite down on your tongue jewelry after the swelling has subsided, you can have brief moments of discomfort until it has fully healed, which should take 3 to 4 weeks.
Tongue Piercing Cost
The cost of getting your tongue pierced is based on location and the piercer’s expertise. The tongue piercing costs range from $30 to $100, aside from jewelry. It takes skill to perform a delicate treatment like a tongue piercing.
You must find a piercer who is skilled because the structure of the tongue determines where the piercing will be positioned or if you can get it. Also, your piercer should be able to point you on the right path and know where to steer clear of potential trouble spots.
Side Effects of Tongue Piercing
Getting a tongue piercing has some side effects, and we’ll look at them below. Also, it depends on the person involved.
- Swelling: When the tissue surrounding your tongue piercing swells and doesn’t shrink back down, this is called swelling. Considering the number of everyday activities that the tongue undergoes, whether newly pierced or not, this is a very common adverse effect of a tongue piercing. Failure to take appropriate care of your tongue after piercing can swell up easily.
- Bacterial Infection: When bacteria enter the pierced area and spread, they cause infections, which signify improper aftercare. Normal infection signs for tongue piercings include discomfort, swelling, sensitivity, and bleeding. Although minor swelling and initial redness after a tongue piercing are common, anything that seems out of the ordinary is likely an indication of something more serious.
- Dental Erosion: Dental erosion occurs when the tooth slowly erodes due to tongue piercing. Because a metal object regularly rubs against the interior of your teeth, you might easily harm them.
Tongue Piercing Healing Process
After a tongue piercing, the healing process does not just happen without you taking proper care of yourself for the first few weeks after the piercing procedure. Below are the healing process;
Stage 1
Because your tongue now has a hole in it, swelling up is normal between days one and four. The swelling shouldn’t prevent you from speaking or drinking water.
It will help if you exercise caution when eating because certain foods can get caught in the jewelry, which will not be nice. Foods that are soft and bland are favored, such as yogurt and applesauce. Oral sex and French kissing are forbidden at this time.
Stage 2
By the end of the first week, the pain and swelling should now start to go away. Even if eating may be more comfortable, only eat soft foods. Continue your salt rinses, and refrain from prolonged body interaction with others.
Stage 3
At this stage, the swelling and all the pain should have gone away. But be careful not to start eating all types of meals. Avoid the ones that are tougher or crunchier. Continue eating soft foods for a little while longer if any discomfort arises. Please stay away from hot beverages because they can cause further swelling.
Final Healing Stage
Your tongue piercing may be ready to go at this point, but looks are sometimes deceitful. It will take a few more weeks before the hole is fully healed. At this time, practically anything is acceptable to eat. However, apply wisdom when using spices since they can irritate the wound.
FAQs About Tongue Piercing
Although there are so many questions from people who just had their tongue pierced for the first time or some other persons trying to figure out what a tongue piercing looks like, we decided to answer only but the most frequent of them all.
Can I Eat All Meals With a Tongue Piercing?
Yes. You can eat different delicacies, but give yourself some time to heal. Avoid crunchy foods and do more with liquids like smoothies, broths, and yogurt.
When Is The Safest Time To Change Your Tongue Jewelry?
The safest time to change your tongue jewelry is after eight weeks, to allow your tongue to heal properly. This is one of the reasons you should go for quality jewelry in the initial stage.
How Long After Tongue Piercing Can I Give Oral?
We strongly advise you to stay off oral or kissing during the healing stages of tongue piercing. You can only engage in oral/kissing when you’re finally healed.
What Do Dentists Think Of Tongue Piercings?
In regard to the aforementioned side effects of tongue piercing, many dentists recommend against piercing the tongue.
Wrapping Up
Lastly, a tongue piercing can add to your beauty but do not go for one if you don’t have all the information about that. Ensure that you engage the services of an expert piercer to get the best.