Oral Aftercare

To ensure a quick healing, you as the customer, need to take care of your piercing correctly.

These are the basics of Internal body piercing aftercare:

 

1. DO NOT PLAY/TOUCH YOUR NEW PIERCING!

Do not play with your jewellery, the hands need to be kept clear of the piercing wound. Long term effects include permanent damage to teeth, gums, and other oral structures. Excessive talking or playing with the jewellery during the healing process, can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, and other complications. Touching your piercing transfers bacteria directly into an open wound which can lead to an infection and the requirement of a medical professional.

 

2. KEEP YOUR JEWELLERY IN!

We at Pheenix ensure the ends on your jewellery are correctly tightened during the piercing procedure. To prevent infection, please ensure the ends remain tight at all times.

For oral piercings, which may be difficult to grasp, try wearing disposable gloves, if the jewellery ends require tightening. Jewellery can be changed after healing, but it should never be left out if you like your piercing, even for short periods of time. Oral piercings close very quickly, making reinsertion of jewellery difficult—most times impossible.



3. MAINTAIN GOOD ORAL HYGIENE

Rinse Your Mouth 3-5 times a day. After you vape, smoke, eat, or drink anything besides water, rinse for 30 to 60 seconds with salt water or alcohol-free mouth rinse. This will clean your mouth and piercing and soothe any discomfort.

If you use mouth rinse, stay away from alcohol-based products, as these are far too harsh and can easily do more harm than good, and repeated use can actually slow down the healing process. Instead, use a mild, alcohol-free mouth rinse, the gentler the solution the quicker the healing.



4. CLEAN THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR PIERCING

In addition to rinsing your mouth, you will also need to clean the outside of your lip or cheek piercings with sterile saline or saltwater solution.

After your shower/face washing, do the following 3 steps two times a day.

Step1: WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning the piercings.

Step2: SPRAY your piercing on the outside of the piercing holes area with sterile saline or saltwater solution.

We recommend ONLY packaged sterile Saline (wound wash saline) or saltwater spray as the only solutions for correct cleaning of your fresh piercing(s), as they are the safest and gentlest for most people. We have available at our shop, clean spray bottles (for $-each). That are suitable for the application of the solutions.

Step3: Gently PAT the piercing area dry with clean paper products (tissue or paper towel). We recommend micro brushes for cleaning crusty discharge away from the jewellery as these small brushes are ideal for accessing difficult to reach areas without leaving fibres. They are available in both our retail and online shop for $-each pack). AVOID using a rough cotton ball or cotton bud due to fibres from the swabs leaving onto your piercing, catching on the jewellery, and causing irritation. You should continue this cleaning routine for the entire healing period.



5. BE MORE CAREFUL

Avoid Kissing and Oral Sex During Healing. Remember: this is an open wound. Any fluid exchange should be considered unsafe for your piercing(s).
Avoid chewing on tobacco, gum, fingernails, pencils, sunglasses, and other foreign objects that could harbour bacteria and hurt your piercing.
It is best to eat something cool, soft, and non-spicy and use common sense when eating, if it hurts, you could be doing damage. Eat what is more comfortable and easier for you.

 

6. BE PATIENT

Do not change your jewellery until they are healed unless the jewellery is causing problems or needs to downsize. Everyone heals at a different rate. A piercing might seem healed before the healing process is complete. This is because tissue heals from the outside in, and although it feels fine, the interior remains fragile. Be patient and keep cleaning throughout the entire initial healing period.



7. WHAT'S NORMAL

Some bleeding, swelling, tenderness and/ or bruising can occur. Oral piercings will usually swell for several days after they are first done, and some swelling may even be present for several weeks after that. Suck on ice(water-made) for the first few days. Anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen may also help. Avoid anything that thins your blood, like alcohol or aspirin, or makes your heart rate go up, like caffeine or stimulants. Avoid drinking straws and water pipes.



8. Downsize Jewelry Once Swelling Subsides

Oral piercing can normally swell a lot, to allow for swelling, your initial ring or post will be larger or longer than the jewellery that will ultimately be worn. Once the swelling is gone and the piercing is healed, a shorter post or smaller diameter ring can be used.

Do NOT leave the original jewellery size in longer than the healing period. Improperly sized jewellery is often the cause of irritated or damaged gums, chipped teeth, and other oral trauma. Downsizing your jewellery is NECESSARY in oral piercings to avoid healing difficulties and to keep the piercing healthy. But again, be patient: Changing the jewellery too soon can result in more swelling and delayed healing.

Please note: Downsizing will be an additional cost of $5-$15 for a new piece of jewellery.

 

9. GENERAL HEALING TIMES & DOWNSIZE TIMING

Below are approximate healing times for healthy oral piercings for most people. Keep in mind that your piercing may heal more quickly or take even longer. Continue suggested aftercare for at least the amount of time listed below for your piercing. Lip: 6-8 weeks. Downsize: After 2-3 weeks

  • Lip: 6-8 weeks. Downsize: After 2-3 weeks
  • Tongue:4-6 weeks. Downsize: After 2 weeks
  • Snake eyes: 6-8 weeks. Downsize: After 2-3 weeks
  • Web (Smiley Tongue web/Frowny):2-4 weeks. Downsize: After 2-3 weeks
  • Cheek: 6 months-1 year Downsize: After 3 months (Please Note: Cheek piercing might need to downsize a few times during healing.)



How to make your own saltwater solution/mouth rinse?

Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon (1.42 grams) of non-iodized salt into one cup (250 ml) distilled bottle or cool-boiled water. Make sure your salt-to- water ratio is correct. A stronger or weaker solution is not better and may not be working or irritate your piercing.

Come Back for a FREE Check-up

Here at Pheenix, we provide free check-ups and cleaning for your piercing if you get the piercing(s) done in our shop.

A check-up 2-4 weeks after piercing is recommended even for piercings which don’t require a downsize. This helps us make sure your piercing is healing well and we can help solve any issues early on.
Remember: The MOST important thing is, we are here to help you. If you have questions or concerns about body piercing, please do not hesitate to come and see us, give us a call, or drop us an email.

Disclaimer: These guidelines are based on a combination of vast professional experience, common sense, research, and extensive clinical practice. If you suspect an infection, seek medical attention as soon as possible.