Oral Piercing Aftercare

• Cleaning Solutions for Oral Piercing

• To maintain your oral piercing's cleanliness, consider the following solutions:

  • Alcohol-free and hydrogen peroxide-free mouth rinse. Alternatively, opt for a dry mouth oral rinse for hydration.

  • Plain clean water. It is preferable to use bottled or filtered water.

  • Packaged sterile saline solution with no additives (ensure it's labeled for external use only, such as cleaning the outside of your lip piercing).

  • Ensure that the saline solution is sterile and isotonic, containing only water and 0.9% or 9mg/ml sodium chloride. Avoid mixing your own sea salt solution, as this practice is no longer recommended by the APP due to the risk of over-drying the piercing and hindering the healing process.

  Avoid using contact solution, eye drops, or nasal rinse products on your piercing.

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  Cleaning Instructions

  Internal Care:

• Thoroughly wash your hands before touching or cleaning your piercing.

• Maintain good oral hygiene by flossing, brushing, and using mouth rinse at least twice daily. Do not overuse the mouth rinse.

• Gently brush the jewelry with a clean toothbrush regularly to prevent plaque buildup.

• Rinse with bottled or filtered water after eating, drinking, or smoking.

• External Care:

  • Use a new soft-bristled toothbrush and store it separately from other toothbrushes.

  • Brush your teeth and use your chosen rinse (saline or mouthwash) after every meal.

  • During healing, floss daily and gently brush your teeth, tongue, and jewelry. After healing, ensure thorough brushing of the jewelry to avoid plaque buildup.​

    • Maintain good oral hygiene by flossing, brushing, and using mouth rinse at least twice daily. Do not overuse the mouth rinse.

    • Gently brush the jewelry with a clean toothbrush regularly to prevent plaque buildup.

    • Rinse with bottled or filtered water after eating, drinking, or smoking.

• • Wash your hands before handling or cleaning your piercing.

  • Rinse your piercing with warm water in the shower once a day, followed by saline rinses twice a day.

  • Delicately remove any discharge or crust from the jewelry and carefully dry the area with gauze.

  Normal Healing Process:

  • During the initial three to five days, expect swelling, light bleeding, bruising, tenderness, and/or whitish to yellowish secretions forming crust on the jewelry.

  • Minor swelling and secretion may continue after the first week.

  • Piercings heal from the outside in, so remain patient and maintain cleaning throughout the entire healing period.

  • For lip piercings, slight "nesting" of the jewelry into the lip is typical once healed.

  • Even long-healed piercings can shrink or close within hours if jewelry is removed. Therefore, it's advisable to keep the jewelry in place.

  Maintaining Oral Hygiene:

• Thoroughly wash your hands before touching or cleaning your piercing.

Reducing Swelling and Oral Piercing Care Tips

To Reduce Swelling:

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• Allow small pieces of ice to dissolve in your mouth.

• Take an over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium as directed on the package.

• Minimize movement and talking that isn't necessary for the first few days.

• Elevate your head above your heart while sleeping during the initial nights to help minimize swelling.

Oral Piercing Care Tips:

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• Replace the original longer jewelry with a shorter post or barbell once the swelling has decreased to prevent damage to teeth and gums. A qualified piercer should perform this, ideally as advised during the piercing process.

• Regularly check threaded ends on your jewelry for tightness with clean hands or paper products. For threadless jewelry, ensure there is no gap between the post (inside) and the top (outside). If a gap exists, press both sides of the jewelry together to close it.

• Contact your piercer for a non-metallic jewelry alternative if temporary removal of metal jewelry is required for a medical procedure.

• If you choose to remove the piercing, either do so yourself or have a professional piercer handle it. Continue cleaning the area until the hole closes.

Eating:

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• Take your time with eating until you are accustomed to the piercing, especially before the jewelry is downsized, to avoid irritation and prolonged healing.

• Avoid spicy, salty, acidic, or hot foods and beverages for the first two weeks. Cold foods and beverages can be soothing and aid in reducing swelling.

Things to Avoid:

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• Refrain from playing with your jewelry, excessive talking, or oral sexual contact during the healing period to prevent complications.

• Avoid mouthwash containing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, as well as chewing on tobacco, gum, or foreign objects that may harbor bacteria.

• Minimize smoking and vaping, and avoid aspirin, alcohol, and large amounts of caffeine during bleeding or swelling.

• Do not submerge healing piercings in bodies of water, such as lakes, pools, or oceans.

• Each body heals uniquely, so if you have any concerns, consult a professional piercer.

Alternative Aftercare:

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• Aftercare methods can vary by region and climate, so discuss your specific needs with your piercer.

• If soap is recommended, use a gentle, chemical-free soap. Avoid antibacterial soaps, as they can over-dry and irritate the piercing.

• If sterile saline is unavailable, a sea salt solution can be an alternative. Dissolve 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized, fine grain sea salt into 8 oz. of warm distilled or bottled water. Avoid making the solution too strong, as it can irritate the piercing