Oral Piercing Hints and Tips:

Some piercees will carry a spare ball in their wallet or purse. This is particularly advisable if you wear non-metallic balls such as acrylic, which is more fragile.

If you break or lose a ball, a small piece of clean pencil eraser can be press-fit onto the post as an emergency measure to keep the jewelry from coming out until a replacement can be obtained.

On barbells/labret studs, you may change the ball portion of the jewelry at any time, but the original post should remain until the swelling is down.

Tongue:

Try to focus on keeping your tongue level in your mouth to avoid biting on the jewelry as you eat. Your mouth is likely to feel uncoordinated at first, but this will pass.

Try eating small bites of solid foods by placing food directly onto the molars with clean fingers or a fork. Food that is already in the back of the mouth doesn’t have to be get moved there by your tongue.

Gently brush your tongue and jewelry when you are healing. Once healed, brush tongue and jewelry thoroughly to keep plaque away.

Lip/Cheek:

Be cautious about opening your mouth wide when you eat, as this can result in the backing of the jewelry catching on your teeth. Take small bites and go slowly at first.

The outside of the piercing may become somewhat red or pink during the healing and this is normal. Refer to the Aftercare Guidelines for Body Piercings for instructions on how to care for the exterior surface of such a piercing.