Can you eat after a tongue piercing?
In this brief guide, we will address the query, “can you eat after a tongue piercing?” We will also talk about what type of foods and beverages you can eat and drink after getting a tongue piercing, how long you will have to wait before starting eating whatever you want and the possible complications of bad maintenance of your tongue piercing.
Can you eat after a tongue piercing?
Yes, you can eat and drink after a tongue piercing. However, it is recommended to avoid salty, acidic, hot and spicy foods for a few days since they can impair your healing.
Something important to take into account is also how you eat with a brand new tongue piercing. A great tip is to break food into small pieces, so you can chew less overall, and place the food with care into your mouth.
Always brush your teeth after eating so you can keep your mouth fresh and clean.
Body-piercing professionals also recommend making salt rinses at least two times a day for keeping the wound site clean and free from dirt, dead cells, bacteria and, in that case, food.
What can you eat after a tongue piercing?
You may prefer soft foods, but not extremely soft, as they can stick in your wound and are also harder to clean out.
Choose dairy products like cheese and yogurt; soft fruits (such as cooked pears or bananas); and cooked vegetables.
You can check out our post about what you can eat after getting a tongue piercing here.
When will you be able to eat normally?
It depends on some factors such as the speed and strength of your immunological system and cicatrization process; how well you’re taking care of your piercing; and body-piercing professional advice. In most cases, it takes about 40 to 60 days for the wound to be fully healed.
Again, it all depends on you and if you’re cleaning your piercing properly. Some people may experience swelling for a longer time than usual if they’re not used to brushing their teeth.
Bad maintenance of your piercing can also lead to worse complications like bleeding and infection.
What are the risks of getting your tongue pierced?
A fresh pierced spot is an open wound that will need to be really taken care of. Every piercing procedure offers a risk to a person if they are not cautious enough.
First thing is: find a reliable piercing professional with a reputable piercing studio. Unfortunately, it is common to see people doing their piercings in whatever place they find cheapest. In some cases, they do it to themselves.
There are a bunch of problems that can emerge from a bad piercing procedure, such as:
- Damage to the tongue and teeth;
- Allergic reactions;
- Damage to the tongue nerves (that can be permanent or not);
- Persistent swelling;
- Bleeding;
Actually, despite getting a brand new piercing might elevate your self-esteem and make you feel beautiful, the American Dental Association advises against oral piercings in general.
Other risks of getting an oral piercing, specially in your tongue, includes gum disease, long-term infection and hepatitis B and C.
How long does it take for my tongue to be completely healed?
Healing times vary between 6 and 8 weeks. Compared to other types of piercings like navel and septum ones, the tongue has a relatively short healing time.
It is recommended to not remove or change your jewelry until the wound is completely healed, since this can cause the piercing site to close very quickly.
Oral hygiene is your best friend in dealing with tongue piercings. A clean mouth is the best way to prevent any further complications.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we discussed the query “can I eat after a tongue piercing?”. We further discussed what you can eat and drink after this procedure, tips for a good care of your wound, and we also talked about what are the risks of getting your tongue pierced.
We hope that this guide was useful to you. If you have any doubts, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
Citations
https://www.urbanbodyjewelry.com/blogs/news/what-can-you-eat-after-getting-a-tongue-piercing
https://www.healthline.com/health/tongue-piercing-healing-stages#symptoms-and-aftercare-by-day
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1601-5037.2010.00504.x
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/oral-piercing