The Tongue piercing reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Tongue piercing

A tongue piercing is a piercing, placed in the center of the tongue to avoid hitting a nerve, and to avoid damaging the "webbing", the part under the tongue that connects the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. A tongue piercing usually takes 4-6 weeks to fully heal. Aftercare for a tongue piercing is to rinse the mouth with a medical grade oral rinse or if that is not available, a dilution of 4 oz of oral antiseptic with 4 oz of water. A regular mouth wash should not be used. Over-cleaning the piercing can prevent it from healing correctly. Teeth should be brushed three times a day when the piercing is healing, using a soft bristle tooth brush.

Piercing aftercare:

• Eat small portions of food at a time.
• Never touch it unless you wash your hands first.
• Do not use any kind of tobacco products.
• No other oral contact with other body fluids.
• Your piercing should not be exposed to any cosmetics like lotion or makeup.
• After the healing period is over you can change the post to a shorter size to make it more comfortable.
• Drink lots of fluids and don't over-clean your piercing.

Tongue piercings are dangerous because of the presence of numerous nerves and veins. It is very hard to speak correctly for a while after the piercing because of swelling and the jewelry. You should never change the piercing before the healing time is up (6-8 weeks). Make sure the place you get your piercing is clean and sanitary.

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