Lip piercings will require cleaning the outside of the mouth and also inside of the mouth.
Tongue piercings will only need to focus on cleaning the inside of the mouth.
Cleaning Solutions:
Alcohol-Free Mouthwash (any brand)
Packaged Sterile Saline
Packaged Sterile Saline
CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSIDE THE MOUTH PIERCINGS:
Rinse mouth with diluted alcohol-free mouthwash (or sterile saline) for 30-60 secs after every time you smoke, eat, drink (except water).
Also rinse in the morning after you wake up and right before bedtime during the entire healing period.
When you over clean, it may cause discoloration or irritation of your mouth and piercing.
CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR OUTSIDE THE MOUTH (LIP/CHEEK) PIERCINGS:
⚠️Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave it alone except when cleaning.If you need to touch the piercing site, only do so with clean hands!!
⚠️You do not need to rotate the jewelry!!
🚿Use a drop of cleanser and using your finger’s gentle touch – lather away surface sebum, dead skin accumulation, dried discharge, make up, etc.
🥛Sea Salt Soak / Saline Soak: 2 times per day, Morning + Night 3-5mins each time.
DRY by gently patting with clean, disposable paper products. Cloth towels can trap bacteria and snag on jewelry causing injury.
WHAT IS NORMAL?
- For the first three to five days: significant swelling, light bleeding, bruising, and/or tenderness.
- After that: Some swelling, light secretion of a whitish yellow fluid (not pus).
- A piercing may seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because they heal from the outside in, and although it feels fine, the tissue remains fragile on the inside. Be patient, and keep cleaning throughout the entire healing period.
- Even healed piercings can shrink or close in minutes after having been there for years! This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewelry in-do not leave the hole empty.
TO MAINTAIN GOOD ORAL HYGIENE
- Use a new soft-bristled toothbrush and store it in a clean area away 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. Once healed, brush the jewelry more thoroughly to avoid plaque build up.
ORAL PIERCING HINTS AND TIPS
JEWELRY
- Once the swelling has subsided, it is vital to replace the original, longer jewelry with a shorter post to avoid intra-oral damage. Consult your piercer for their downsize policy.
- Because this necessary jewelry change often occurs during healing, it should be done by a qualified piercer.
- Contact your piercer for a non-metallic jewelry alternative if your metal jewelry must be temporarily removes (such as for a medical procedure).
- Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewelry (or have a professional piercer remove it) and continue cleaning the piercing until the hole closes. In most cases only a small mark will remain.
- In the even an infection is suspected, quality jewelry or an inert alternative should be left in place to allow for drainage or the infection. Should the jewelry be removed, the surface cells can close up sealing the infection inside the piercing channel, resulting in an abscess. Until an infection is cleared up, the the jewelry in!
EATING
- Slowly eat small bites of food.
- Avoid eating spicy, salty, acidic, or hot temperature foods or beverages for a few days.
- Cold foods and beverages are soothing and help reduce swelling.
- Foods like mashed potatoes and oatmeal are hard to eat because they stick to your mouth and jewelry.
- For tongue piercing, try to keep your tongue level in your mouth as you eat because the jewelry can get between your teeth when your tongue turns.
- For labret (cheek and lip) piercings: be cautious about opening your mouth too wide as this can result in the jewelry catching on your teeth.
Each body is unique and healing times vary considerably. If you have any questions, please contact your piercer.
WHAT TO AVOID
- Do not play with your jewelry. Long term effects include permanent damage to teeth, gums, and other oral structures.
- Avoid undue trauma; excessive talking or playing with the jewelry during healing can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, and other complications.
- Avoid using mouthwash containing alcohol. It can irritate the piercing and delay healing.
- Avoid oral sexual contact including French (wet) kissing or oral sex during healing (even with a long-term partner).
- Avoid chewing gum, tobacco, fingernails, pencils, sunglasses, etc.
- Avoid sharing plates, cups, and eating utensils.
- Avoid smoking! It increases risks and lengthens healing time.
- Avoid stress and all recreational drug use.
- Avoid aspirin, alcohol, and large amounts of caffeine as long as you are experiencing bleeding or swelling.
- Avoid submerging healing piercings in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, etc.Each body is unique and healing times vary considerably. If you have any questions, please contact your piercer.