Oral Piercing Aftercare As a rule, you should only touch your healing piercing when you are cleaning it.  Otherwise, leave it alone! Check the tightness of your barbells threaded balls daily.  The natural motion of your mouth is enough to loosen the balls.  Be sure your hands have been throughly cleaned with an antibacterial soap first.  Oral piercings are best cleaned two-three times a day using a alcohol and sodium free Antiseptic Mouthwash.   Smokers must also rinse after smoking using a mild salt rinse- Mix 1 teaspoon of Natural Sea Salts (available in most grocery and health food stores) with 1 quart of hot water that has been microwaved for 1 minute to kill bacteria.  Rinse with a full glass, swishing and then spitting it out.  You are strongly encouraged to stop smoking, at least through the healing process.  Also consider getting a new toothbrush, since toothbrushes are a haven for bacteria. Plaque can develop on your barbell in the same way that it does on your teeth.  Using an anti-plaque rinse (such as Plax) will help.   The barbell that you were pierced with is usually very long because your tongue swells to almost twice it’s normal size in the first 24-72 hours. If you find yourself biting on your bar excessively once it is healed, or if a bump developes on your tongue, consider shortening your bar.  Shortening your bar can usually be done in 2-3 weeks. Tongue piercings produce a sticky, white discharge as a natural part of the healing process, Yellow or green discharge would indicate infection. Healing Times BE PATIENT!  Most oral piercings require at least 6-8 weeks to heal completely.  Jewelry or a retainer must be worn at all times during the healing process to keep the piercing open.  Removing your jewelry, even for a short time, may cause the piercing to close.  If you must remove your jewelry for a short time, monofilament nylon fishing line can be used as a retainer(Black & Decker weedeater line is exactly 14 gauge).  This will not be as noticeable, will not interfere with X-rays or MRI’s, & will keep the piercing open untill jewelry can be reinserted.  jewelry can be changed or removed once the piercing is healed, but if this is done before the delicate interior of the piercing has had time to toughen- up, you can tear the piercing & reopen it to infection.  Infections in piercings are almost always caused by improper aftercare.   A general sign of infection is a yellow or green discharge from the openings of the piercing.  If you think your piercing is infected, you should contact your piercer or your family doctor as soon as possible.  Taking the jewelry out of your piercing will not make an infection “just go away” but will often trap infectious secretions inside your body.  A  physician can prescribe an oral antibiotic for the infection (antibiotic ointments don’t kill infections) & proceed from there. If you have any questions or concerns about your piercing or it’s aftercare, please stop by the studio or call to consult with your piercer.  We are committed to helping you heal your piercing. The Big List of Dont’s DO NOT  forget to check your Balls!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO NOT  touch your piercing without first washing your hands. DO NOT engage in oral contact,  such as deep kissing or oral intercourse of any kind, with the piercing while it’s healing,  (Really) DO NOT use Hydrogen Peroxide or Rubbing Alcohol as they are very drying,  slowing the healing process by destroying new, healthy skin cells. DO NOT  constantly bite or play with your tongue piercing while it’s trying to heal.  This can cause stress to the piercing and a bump to form, usually on the underside of your tongue.  Shortening your bar after 2-3 weeks will help you stop doing this. DO NOT squeeze your piercing- it’s not a zit.  Hot salt water rinses will help draw out  excess fluids from your piercing.  Use 1 teaspoon Natural Sea Salts to 1 quart of hot water that has been microwaved for 1 minute to kill bacteria,allow to cool suffienctly, and rinse for 3 minutes. DO NOT pull, tug or otherwise abuse your piercing while it’s trying to heal.  Play nice, Be gentle!