Jewelry Blog

Dermatologists normally recommend no rinses after surgery to the oral mucosa because it heals itself extremely well without any interference; however body piercers have adopted ritualized healing techniques that are thought to work because the client heals. There is some evidence that the following body piercer recommended techniques can do harm if the solutions used are too strong, or if overused.

Common folk treatments recommended by body piercers include but are not limited to: For tongue, lip, cheek, and labret piercings, it is recommended to rinse the mouth after smoking, eating and drinking (except water). Listerine (or any mouthwash containing alcohol) is too harsh on the piercing and will most likely dry out the piercing, so it is recommended to get a non-alcoholic mouthwash, or a diluted saline solution, such as Biotène, or TECH 2000 or use a diluted Listerine solution (half Listerine, half water). Several companies make an alcohol-free mouthwash with sea salt as an ingredient. Using Gly-Oxide also aids in keeping the area clean after eating and drinking. Kissing and oral sex are advised against for 4-6 weeks after the initial piercing, as are excessively hot or spicy foods. Some recommended cold foods are ice cream bars, slushies, and the like to dull the pain. Additionally, anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen) can help reduce swelling.