Today, we're going to talk about oral piercing care. We get a ton of questions about it at the blog and on social media and want to talk to you guys about what you can expect when you get an oral piercing and how to care for it after.
With anything oral, the biggest thing that dentists and piercers recommend is to protect your teeth and gums from permanent damage! We asked for feedback on Snapchat this week and a lot of our viewers said that they have had jewelry chip their teeth, rub off the enamel, and even wear down portions of their gums. In order to avoid damage to teeth and gums, dentists and experienced wearers recommend that you use acrylic balls in your mouth and NOT metal.
The first three to five days with any oral piercing you should expect light swelling, bruising, and some discomfort. Remember that everyone is different and heals differently! If you are experiencing mild discomfort and discoloring, that's totally normal. If you're in a lot of pain or experience anything that you think is scary or unusual, call your doctor or medical professional right away. It's always better to play it safe so don't wait.
Keep your teeth brushed. Minimize talking, eating, and movement of the mouth the first week of healing as much as possible. One common misconception about fresh piercings is that you should be turning it and twisting it during the healing process but you should actually try not to move or touch your jewelry excessively.
In order to help keep your mouth clean use products made specifically for after-piercing care. At Bodycandy.com you can purchase the aftercare oral rinse, H2Ocean in Artic Ocean Mint flavor. It's a natural sea salt solution that works as a daily rinse, just like mouthwash, to help with sore throats and dry mouth that may cause discomfort and unnecessary movement. Simply swish it around for 30 seconds a couple times a day to help you keep your oral piercing clean.
H2Ocean is an awesome product made specifically to help care for your new oral piercing but if you need an alternative rinse you can mix the following solution:
- 1/8 to 1/4 of a teaspoon of iodine-free sea salt
- Dissolve into one cup (8oz) of water
- Rinse orally as necessary
An easy time to clean your piercing is in the shower because skin is a bit more loose and elastic in the hot water and steam. You can keep your H2Ocean right there with your other shower products and always have it when you're ready to clean your piercing.
That's it for today! Make sure you're checking in on Facebook for our live video every Friday at 1:00 p.m. (EST) to see new products, get info, and so much more. We love hanging out with you guys and want to see everyone there next week and every week at 1pm to ask questions and say hi to Alley! Check us out on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat (bodycandy.com) anytime the rest of the week!
