Key takeaways

  • A tongue piercing usually takes around 6 to 8 weeks to fully heal. Swelling peaks in the first few days, and you’ll need to stick with soft, bland foods while avoiding oral sex during this time.
  • Proper aftercare includes salt rinses and brushing and flossing regularly. It is important to avoid alcohol-based mouthwash, tongue scrapers, and playing with the jewelry.
  • Don’t remove your jewelry before the full healing period ends, as this increases infection risk and may cause the hole to close. If you experience severe pain, swelling, discharge, or unusual odors, talk with a healthcare professional right away.

A tongue piercing takes about 6 to 8 weeks to heal. However, your healing time depends entirely on how you care for your new piercing.

Read on to find out what symptoms are typical during this time, how your aftercare may vary from week to week when you can safely change your jewelry, and more.

Proper aftercare techniques are crucial to the outcome of your tongue piercing. Much of this depends on where your tongue piercing is placed, as well as how many new piercings you have.

Although the bulk of your aftercare takes place within the first couple of weeks, you’ll need to stay on top of daily cleanings until the piercing has completely healed.

You should still clean your piercing once it’s healed, but you’ll have more flexibility in how often you do so.

Days 1 through 4

A little bit of swelling is common — after all, your tongue now has a hole in it. Still, the amount of swelling shouldn’t keep you from drinking water or talking.

Wet kissing and oral sex are off-limits during this time.

You can do a saline or salt rinse to help minimize any pain and swelling. Ready-made rinses may be available for purchase from your piercer.

For the first two weeks, it’s best to avoid foods and drinks that are:

  • hot
  • spicy
  • salty
  • acidic

Focusing on soft, cold foods may help reduce swelling and soothe pain.

Days 5 and 6

Pain and swelling should start to subside by the end of the first week. You may find it easier to eat, but you may find it more comfortable to still stick with cool, soft foods at this point.

Keep up with your salt rinses, and avoid extensive physical contact with others.

Days 7 through 9

Overall pain and swelling should be gone by this point. You may start eating harder, crunchier foods, but do so with care. If any discomfort develops, stick with soft foods for a bit longer.

Avoid hot beverages, as these can encourage further swelling.

If possible, rinse your mouth out with a saline or salt solution after eating and drinking. This can help prevent food and other irritants from getting stuck around the jewelry.

Days 10 through 41

By day 10, your piercing may look like it’s good to go — but appearances aren’t everything. The hole won’t be completely healed for around 2 to 4 weeks.

You may find that it’s comfortable to eat almost anything you’d like at this point. But take care with spices, as these can irritate the wound.

You can cut down to twice-daily rinses — preferably morning and night — after you brush your teeth.

Days 42 through 56

This is considered the final stretch in your tongue piercing healing process. Continue with your rinses, and make sure you’re brushing and flossing your teeth.

You shouldn’t have any pain or swelling at this stage, but you might find that certain foods still irritate your tongue. Any symptoms beyond this may be a sign of infection or problems with the piercing job.

Once your piercer gives you the OK, you can resume your usual habits. These can include eating what you want, getting intimate, and switching out your jewelry.

You’ll still need to take precautions after the healing period, though. This ensures the health of your piercing over the long term.

You may need to change the tongue piercing jewelry once the swelling subsides. This is because the jewelry the piercer initially uses may be longer than average to account for the swelling.

Do not attempt to change the jewelry yourself during the healing period. Visit your piercer to receive the new, shorter jewelry.

Removing the stud too soon can increase your risk of tears and infections. The hole may also close up if you remove the jewelry too soon.

Once the time comes to remove the shorter jewelry and switch it out for a different style, it’s best to visit your piercer for guidance. They can ensure a safe removal process and show you how to correctly put new jewelry in.

For your tongue piercing to properly heal, it’s imperative to follow some basic guidelines.

Make sure that you do:

  • brush your teeth twice per day
  • floss daily
  • use a soft-bristle toothbrush for cleanings
  • choose a mouthwash that’s alcohol-free
  • look for signs of complications — especially an infection

On the flip side, don’t:

  • use tongue scrapers
  • play with your jewelry
  • engage in wet kissing or oral sex until the piercing has completely healed
  • play contact sports with your jewelry in your tongue
  • smoke or drink alcohol during the healing process

Once your tongue piercing has healed, be sure to stay on top of your oral health to prevent any problems. Your piercer can advise on when you can stop using rinses.

You’ll also want to ensure that any jewelry you select for your tongue piercing is of good quality. The American Dental Association (ADA) explains that synthetic tongue piercings, such as those made with polytetrafluoroethylene or polypropylene, have lower levels of bacterial growth compared with those made from materials such as steel or titanium.

A 2023 review also notes that oral piercings made from synthetic materials such as Teflon and acrylic resulted in fewer dental complications. They also reduce the risk of metal allergy if most or all of the jewelry is made from synthetic materials.

Be sure to keep up with your regular dental checkups over the lifetime of your piercing. Tongue piercings can increase your long-term risk of cuts, tooth trauma, and gum recession. Your dentist can monitor for changes and help ensure that your piercing doesn’t cause such damages.

Like other piercings, tongue piercings may result in an infection. Poor-quality jewelry, playing with the piercing, and not practicing proper cleaning techniques all increase your risk.

Seek medical advice if you experience:

  • severe pain
  • severe swelling
  • redness or discoloration around the piercing site
  • discharge from the piercing site
  • unusual odors

Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help treat a bacterial infection and prevent its spread.

You shouldn’t remove the jewelry during this time. Doing so will trap infectious bacteria inside your tongue and may lead to further complications.

If you decide that you want to let the piercing close up — or you just want to switch the jewelry — you should wait until the infection has completely cleared.

Any new piercing can raise lots of questions. Those done on your tongue are especially delicate. Feel free to reach out to your piercer if you have any questions concerning the results, aftercare, and healing time.

If you think you’ve developed an infection, your piercer isn’t the right source for treatment. You’ll need to call your doctor if you see signs of an infection or if you’re experiencing severe discomfort.

A tongue piercing typically heals in 6 to 8 weeks. Swelling peaks in the first few days, and it’s best to consume cool, bland foods during this time.

Proper aftercare includes salt or saline rinses twice daily and brushing and flossing regularly. Avoid alcohol-based mouthwash, tongue scrapers, and playing with the jewelry.

Don’t remove your jewelry before the full healing period ends, as this increases infection risk and may cause the hole to close. However, your piercer may need to change the jewelry to a shorter one once the swelling goes down.