How to Brush Your Teeth with a Tongue Piercing
Remove the jewelry from your piercing before eating., Brush your teeth without the jewelry., Hold the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle., Brush using small circular motions., Brush for at least two minutes., Use your toothbrush to clean the jewelry...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remove the jewelry from your piercing before eating.
This prevents food particles from sticking to your tongue piercing and lessens the debris you need to get rid off while brushing.
Put the jewelry in a covered container with 10 ml of mouthwash (Listerine, Orahex) diluted in 5 ml of water.
Put it back in your tongue only after you have brushed your teeth. -
Step 2: Brush your teeth without the jewelry.
Whenever you are brushing your teeth
- in the morning, after eating, before bed
- it's a good idea to do it without the jewelry in your tongue, in order to avoid irritating the piercing and to clean the teeth properly.
Brushing your teeth properly is important, as it removes any food particles from between your teeth that could potentially become attached to the jewelry and cause infection.
Therefore, brushing your teeth well will help your tongue piercing to stay healthy and last longer. , Starting with the back teeth, place the head of you toothbrush at a 45 degree angle with the bristles facing the neck of your teeth.
This is the best angle for cleaning both the teeth and the gums, which is essential for preventing the build up of plaque and bacteria. , Instead of using a back-and-forth motion to brush the teeth, use small circular motions.
This effectively cleans the teeth without damaging the enamel.
After about 15 seconds of brushing, do a rolling or sweeping motion to direct all the debris towards the biting surface of your teeth. , It's important to clean every tooth surface thoroughly
- front and back.
It should take you about 2 to 3 minutes to do this properly, so use a timer if necessary.
Remember to brush your teeth at least twice, but preferable three times per day.
After brushing, floss all your interdental areas as you normally do.
Take extra care while working on the areas close to the hole in your tongue, as knocking your hand against it could be painful. , Brushing the jewelry with a toothbrush outside your mouth helps to remove food debris, plaque or calculus deposits from the surface of the metal, which helps to prevent your tongue from getting infected.
To clean the jewelry, wash your hands thoroughly, then fill a small bowl with an antibacterial solution made by mixing one tablespoon of chlorhexidine mouth rinse with two tablespoons of water.
Dip your toothbrush in this solution and brush it on to the jewelry, making sure to scrub every surface.
Holding it over the bowl is a good idea, in case the jewelry slips out of your hands during cleaning. , Once you are done with the brushing, flossing and cleaning the jewelry, tighten the ball of the tongue ring to ensure that the ring is held tight and secure in its position.
If the ball remains loose, there's a chance it could get dislodged from the pierced area and fall into the throat, causing an emergency situation like choking. , To prepare a salt water rinse, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water.
Take a mouthful and swish it around your mouth for 1 minute before bedtime. , Use a chlorhexidine-based mouthwash for the two weeks after getting your tongue pierced.
The first week, swish the mouthwash at least 5 times a day and then gradually decrease it to 3 times a day in the second week.
When selecting a mouthwash, check to see if it is alcohol-free or not.
Alcohol containing mouthwashes will produce a burning sensation around the area of piercing.
Chlorhexidine mouth rinses (when used for more than two weeks) can result in the following: altered taste, burning tongue sensation and tongue discoloration. , It's extremely important to maintain good oral hygiene at all times, particularly when you have an oral piercing.
Although good home care is an essential part of this, it will also be necessary for you to see your dentist and receive professional cleanings and inspections, approximately every six months. , Mouth piercings are demanding of your time because they needs constant upkeep.
Barbell tongue piercings in particular are a potential place for harboring bacteria inside your mouth.
The following are the potential risks that a dirty piercing presents to your health.
Tongue infection.
Damage to teeth and fillings.
Damage to gums.
Nerve damage.
However, these issues can largely be avoided with meticulous oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist.
For more information on how to care for an oral piercing, see this article. -
Step 3: Hold the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle.
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Step 4: Brush using small circular motions.
-
Step 5: Brush for at least two minutes.
-
Step 6: Use your toothbrush to clean the jewelry outside your mouth.
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Step 7: Replace the jewelry.
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Step 8: Rinse your mouth with salt water before bedtime.This is an effective way to reduce the bacteria in your mouth (in addition to brushing and flossing) without leaving a residual effect like chlorhexidine rinses.
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Step 9: Use a chlorhexidine mouthwash for the next two weeks.
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Step 10: See your dentist every six months.
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Step 11: Know the complications that can be brought by tongue piercings.
Detailed Guide
This prevents food particles from sticking to your tongue piercing and lessens the debris you need to get rid off while brushing.
Put the jewelry in a covered container with 10 ml of mouthwash (Listerine, Orahex) diluted in 5 ml of water.
Put it back in your tongue only after you have brushed your teeth.
Whenever you are brushing your teeth
- in the morning, after eating, before bed
- it's a good idea to do it without the jewelry in your tongue, in order to avoid irritating the piercing and to clean the teeth properly.
Brushing your teeth properly is important, as it removes any food particles from between your teeth that could potentially become attached to the jewelry and cause infection.
Therefore, brushing your teeth well will help your tongue piercing to stay healthy and last longer. , Starting with the back teeth, place the head of you toothbrush at a 45 degree angle with the bristles facing the neck of your teeth.
This is the best angle for cleaning both the teeth and the gums, which is essential for preventing the build up of plaque and bacteria. , Instead of using a back-and-forth motion to brush the teeth, use small circular motions.
This effectively cleans the teeth without damaging the enamel.
After about 15 seconds of brushing, do a rolling or sweeping motion to direct all the debris towards the biting surface of your teeth. , It's important to clean every tooth surface thoroughly
- front and back.
It should take you about 2 to 3 minutes to do this properly, so use a timer if necessary.
Remember to brush your teeth at least twice, but preferable three times per day.
After brushing, floss all your interdental areas as you normally do.
Take extra care while working on the areas close to the hole in your tongue, as knocking your hand against it could be painful. , Brushing the jewelry with a toothbrush outside your mouth helps to remove food debris, plaque or calculus deposits from the surface of the metal, which helps to prevent your tongue from getting infected.
To clean the jewelry, wash your hands thoroughly, then fill a small bowl with an antibacterial solution made by mixing one tablespoon of chlorhexidine mouth rinse with two tablespoons of water.
Dip your toothbrush in this solution and brush it on to the jewelry, making sure to scrub every surface.
Holding it over the bowl is a good idea, in case the jewelry slips out of your hands during cleaning. , Once you are done with the brushing, flossing and cleaning the jewelry, tighten the ball of the tongue ring to ensure that the ring is held tight and secure in its position.
If the ball remains loose, there's a chance it could get dislodged from the pierced area and fall into the throat, causing an emergency situation like choking. , To prepare a salt water rinse, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water.
Take a mouthful and swish it around your mouth for 1 minute before bedtime. , Use a chlorhexidine-based mouthwash for the two weeks after getting your tongue pierced.
The first week, swish the mouthwash at least 5 times a day and then gradually decrease it to 3 times a day in the second week.
When selecting a mouthwash, check to see if it is alcohol-free or not.
Alcohol containing mouthwashes will produce a burning sensation around the area of piercing.
Chlorhexidine mouth rinses (when used for more than two weeks) can result in the following: altered taste, burning tongue sensation and tongue discoloration. , It's extremely important to maintain good oral hygiene at all times, particularly when you have an oral piercing.
Although good home care is an essential part of this, it will also be necessary for you to see your dentist and receive professional cleanings and inspections, approximately every six months. , Mouth piercings are demanding of your time because they needs constant upkeep.
Barbell tongue piercings in particular are a potential place for harboring bacteria inside your mouth.
The following are the potential risks that a dirty piercing presents to your health.
Tongue infection.
Damage to teeth and fillings.
Damage to gums.
Nerve damage.
However, these issues can largely be avoided with meticulous oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist.
For more information on how to care for an oral piercing, see this article.
About the Author
Scott Chapman
Writer and educator with a focus on practical crafts knowledge.
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