"In the ancient temples of the Aztecs and Mayans, Shamans and High Priests pierced their tongues as part of a bloodletting ritual to pray for prosperity, rain, etc. The priests would use thorny vines and/or run lengths of rope through the tongue to cause the bloodletting."
PROCEDURE
Here at Warrior, a tongue piercing is performed by use of a specialized
sterile clamp that holds the tongue in place. Once the area to be
pierced is properly aligned, a sterilized needle is passed through the
tongue, followed by a sterile 14 gauge (1.5 mm) implant grade surgical
stainless steel (316LVM) barbell. The process only takes a few seconds,
so by the time you feel the pain, the pierce is done. Heavier gauge
jewelry can be used on this type of pierce, although it will cost a bit
more each size up.
HEALING AND AFTERCARE
Healing
time and aftercare for a tongue piercing is extremely easy, although if
not taken care of properly it could be prolonged. After the initial
piercing is done, the pierce may secrete fluid for a few days. The
tongue may also swell up a bit. This is part of the healing process
and is NOT an indication of infection. Ice may be kept in
the mouth to reduce swelling and alleviate any pain. Ibuprofen
is also recommended for the first few days as it is a pain reliever AND
an anti-inflammatory. Cleansing a tongue pierce involves rinsing
the mouth with a diluted (50:50) solution of Listerine (or other
antiseptic mouthwash) after eating, drinking or smoking anything.
During the healing process it is recommended to avoid eating hot (temperature),
spicy or hard to eat (chew) foods. After about 3 weeks the tongue
should be healed completely and normal habits may be resumed.
DO's and DON'Ts
During
the healing time, it is imperative that you do NOT play with it.
Your hands can possess hundreds of types of bacteria and viruses. Do NOT
flick your tongue pierce around your teeth to make a clicking sound to
impress your friends. This will lead to chipping of the enamel of
your teeth and may cause you to lose friends.
Do NOT hang, pull, tug or in any other shape or form put pressure
on a healing pierce. This can cause a tear in the pierce.
Do
follow your aftercare properly. You may use a product called "Gly Oxide"
to expedite the healing of your new pierce.
It is okay to swish with a sea salt solution, it will help the pierce heal
faster.
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