How long does a tongue piercing take to heal? Swelling, stages and what to eat

A tongue piercing takes four to eight weeks to heal. That is fast for any piercing, because the mouth has an outstanding blood supply. It is also the piercing where the first week is the hardest, because of swelling.

A 2005 review of body piercing complications in American Family Physician gives three to six weeks, which overlaps with that range. What matters is what happens in the first few days.

Stage by stage

Days 1-5. Swelling, light bleeding, bruising and tenderness. The swelling peaks around days two to four and can be dramatic, sometimes doubling the visible thickness of the tongue for a while. That is normal and not a sign of infection, and it is why the starter barbell is so long. Speech and eating are affected.

Weeks 1-3. The swelling resolves, some tenderness remains, and a white coating on the tongue near the piercing is common. Downsize as soon as the swelling has gone, usually within the first one to two weeks.

Weeks 4-8. Settled.

Getting through the first week

The Association of Professional Piercers advises:

• Cold. Allow small pieces of ice to dissolve in your mouth. Cold food and drink are soothing and reduce swelling.
• Soft food. Yoghurt, mashed food and smoothies. Avoid spicy, salty, acidic and hot food and drink for the first two weeks.
• Rinsing. Use alcohol-free, peroxide-free mouth rinse, or plain clean water, after eating, drinking and smoking. Bottled or filtered water is preferred.
• Outside. Rinse with saline twice a day.
• Tooth-brushing. Brush your teeth twice a day as normal, and gently brush the jewelry with a clean toothbrush to stop plaque building up.
• Do not swap the barbell early, however large it feels. It is sized for the swelling on purpose.

The downsize matters more here than anywhere

Once the swelling has gone, replace the long starter bar with a shorter one. The APP says this is vital to avoid damage to teeth and gums.

The APP says that once swelling has subsided, it is vital to replace the original, longer jewelry with a shorter post to avoid damage to the teeth and gums. Have your piercer do it. The tongue piercing guide covers the dental risk and how to reduce it.

What slows a tongue piercing down

• Smoking and vaping. The APP says they increase risks and prolong healing.
• Oral contact. Avoid wet kissing and oral sex during healing.
• Sharing drinks and cutlery in the first couple of weeks.
• Playing with the jewelry. Clicking it against your teeth is the most frequent cause of tooth and gum damage, according to the APP.
• Spicy, salty, acidic or hot food in the first two weeks.
• Alcohol-based mouthwash, which dries and irritates.
• Not downsizing.

Is it healed

By four to eight weeks a tongue piercing should be settled. Before you change jewelry, check that:

1. There is no tenderness or swelling.
2. There is no discharge, and no soreness when you eat.
3. The jewelry moves freely.

The only early change should be the downsize, done by your piercer. Any other change waits until it is healed. Keep the jewelry small and flat once it is, to reduce the dental risk. See the materials guide.

Problems

• Swelling that increases after the first week, rather than settling, needs medical attention. So does difficulty swallowing or breathing, which is rare but an emergency.
• A white coating in the first couple of weeks is normal, without a foul smell, fever or spreading redness.
• Infection. If you suspect an infection, the APP advises seeking medical attention. Signs are heat, spreading redness, thick coloured discharge, pain that gets worse, or a fever.
• Tooth or gum damage. Chips, sensitivity or gums that pull back should go to a dentist, not a piercer. Tell your dentist about the piercing.

If you take it out

A tongue piercing can close faster than you expect. How long a piercing takes to close explains the timing, and a retainer keeps the channel open when you need to hide it.

Variations

A pair near the tip, frog eyes, heals on the same timescale, while snake eyes is a horizontal piercing many piercers refuse. A tongue web goes through the tissue underneath.

A healing piercing should stay out of pools, hot tubs and the sea: see swimming with a new piercing. Most piercings also need a shorter post fitted while they heal, so read piercing downsizing too.

Not medical advice

This page is educational. If a piercing is hot, has spreading redness or coloured discharge, swelling is increasing, or you have trouble swallowing or breathing, seek medical attention.

This article is for education only and is not medical advice. If a piercing is hot, swollen, spreading redness, oozing yellow or green discharge, or you have a fever, see a doctor today.