Tongue Piercing Guide: Types, Gauge, Healing & Jewelry

A tongue piercing is most often a single 14G straight barbell through the center of the tongue, and it typically takes 4–8 weeks to heal. The tongue swells a lot at first, so it starts on a long barbell that your piercer swaps for a shorter one once the swelling settles. This guide covers the 7 main types, from midline and venom bites to snake eyes and tongue web, then sizing, jewelry, metals, healing, aftercare, changing your jewelry and pain.

Written by Clifton Santiago, a body piercer with more than 20 years of experience.

A note before you start: we sell body jewelry, not piercing services. A tongue piercing should be done with a sterile needle by a professional piercer, never with a piercing gun or at home. Your piercer will check the underside of your tongue first and place the piercing away from the large veins there.

Types of tongue piercings at a glance

Gauges and healing times vary by piercer and by person. Treat these as typical ranges, not promises.

The 7 types of tongue piercings

1. Midline tongue piercing

The classic tongue ring: a single piercing straight down through the center of the tongue, toward the front, with a straight barbell, usually 14G (1.6mm). Your piercer looks under your tongue first: the piercing has to sit between the large veins there. It typically heals in 4–8 weeks. Browse our tongue rings.

2. Off-center tongue piercing

The same vertical piercing placed to the left or right of center. It heals like a midline, but the bar has to clear the veins underneath and shouldn't rub your back teeth.

3. Venom bites

Venom bites are two tongue piercings side by side, one on each side of center. They're usually 14G and start on long straight barbells, since two at once means more swelling. Each typically heals in 4–8 weeks. They're sometimes called "snake bites on the tongue," but snake bites are a pair of lip piercings; for those and the other lip "bites," see our snake bite piercing guide.

4. Multiple midline piercings

Two or more 14G midline piercings, one behind the other along the center of the tongue. Many piercers space them over separate sessions.

5. Horizontal tongue piercing

A straight barbell side to side through the body of the tongue. It's rare: it passes through muscle with blood vessels and nerves nearby and limits how your tongue moves, so few piercers offer it. Venom bites give a similar look.

6. Snake eyes piercing

Snake eyes is a horizontal piercing through the tip of the tongue, worn with a curved barbell so the two ends look like eyes. Many piercers won't do it. The bar ties together the two sides of the tongue tip, which normally move independently, and the ends sit against your front teeth, raising the risk of chipped teeth and gum damage. If you want one, choose a piercer who has done them before.

7. Tongue web (frenulum) piercing

A tongue web piercing goes through the lingual frenulum, the thin web of tissue under your tongue, so it stays hidden unless you lift your tongue. It's usually 16G or 14G, worn with a small curved barbell or ring, and typically heals in 4–6 weeks. The web is thin, so it's more prone to migrating or rejecting than a midline, and not everyone has enough web. It also sits close to the veins and saliva gland openings under your tongue. Anything involving a frenulum, including smiley and frowny piercings (the webs inside your upper and lower lip), should be done by an experienced piercer.

Tongue ring size: gauge and length

Tongue jewelry is sized two ways: the gauge (thickness of the bar) and the length of the bar between the ends.

A lower gauge number means thicker jewelry. Match the gauge your piercer used.

The right length depends on your tongue, so ask your piercer or measure your current bar between the ends. For a full measuring walkthrough, see our body jewelry gauge size chart.

Tongue piercings, teeth and gums

Most tongue ring problems come down to length:

• Too short while swollen: the tongue can swell over the ends, which is why starter bars are long. If a ball presses into your tongue, see your piercer promptly.
• Too long once healed: the bar catches between your teeth, gets bitten and rubs your gums.

Even with the right fit, long-term wear can chip teeth and is linked to gum recession behind the lower front teeth. To lower the risk, downsize on time, don't click or bite the jewelry, check daily that the ends are tight so a loose ball isn't swallowed, and keep up with dental checkups.

Tongue ring jewelry styles

• Straight barbell: the standard tongue ring for midline, off-center and venom piercings. Examples: our 14G titanium barbell in 1/2" (12mm) and 5/8" (16mm), and our 14G titanium barbell with a CZ gem. See all tongue rings.
• Curved barbell or ring: for tongue web and snake eyes. Example: our 16G titanium curved barbell in 5/16" (8mm) and 3/8" (10mm). Rings in a healed tongue web: our titanium hinged segment ring.
• Flexible retainer: a flexible bar with clear or skin-tone ends, for a healed piercing you want less visible. Example: our 14G flexible tongue retainer.
• Vibrating tongue ring: a battery-powered ball end, for fully healed piercings only. Ours is a 14G vibrating tongue ring on a 5/8" (16mm) surgical steel bar.

Choosing a metal

• Titanium is the usual choice for new or sensitive piercings. Our titanium body jewelry is G23 titanium, which contains no nickel.
• Surgical steel is durable and affordable, but it contains a small amount of nickel. It's best worn in a fully healed piercing, and people with a nickel sensitivity should choose titanium. Example: our 14G steel tongue ring with colorful ball ends.
• 14K gold works well in healed piercings. Choose solid gold rather than plated.
• Sterling silver isn't recommended for oral piercings. It tarnishes in contact with saliva and can irritate the tissue.

How long does a tongue piercing take to heal?

Most tongue piercings take about 4–8 weeks to heal; a tongue web is often quicker, and horizontal and snake eyes piercings usually take longer. Swelling peaks in the first few days, often with a slight lisp, then settles over a week or two. A piercing can feel fine before it has fully healed.

Tongue piercing aftercare

• Rinse with alcohol-free mouthwash or a sterile saline rinse after eating, drinking anything but water, and smoking. Our post on saline solution focuses on noses, but the saline basics are the same.
• Sip cold water or let ice chips melt in your mouth to ease swelling.
• Eat soft, cool foods in small bites at first, and go easy on spicy food, alcohol and smoking.
• Keep brushing gently, and don't play with the jewelry.
• Avoid open-mouth kissing, oral contact and sharing cups or utensils until it's healed.

Some swelling, tenderness and whitish fluid are normal early on. If you see spreading redness, thick yellow or green discharge, swelling that gets worse after the first few days, or you develop a fever, see a doctor. Get urgent care if swelling makes it hard to breathe or swallow.

When can I change my tongue piercing?

Wait until the piercing is fully healed, usually 4–8 weeks, before changing the jewelry yourself. Changing it early can irritate it, and tongue piercings shrink quickly with the jewelry out.

The one exception is downsizing. Once the swelling goes down, often around 2–4 weeks in, your piercer should swap the long starter barbell for a shorter one. Don't skip it: a bar that's too long rubs your gums and can chip teeth.

When you switch, wash your hands, clean the new jewelry and match the gauge and length you wear now.

Does a tongue piercing hurt?

Most people say the needle is quick and the clamp feels worse, followed by a few sore, swollen days. Pain is personal, but as a general guide:

• Lower: tongue web
• Moderate: midline, off-center, multiple midline (each)
• Higher: venom bites (two at once), horizontal, snake eyes

Soreness usually eases within the first week.

Frequently asked questions

What is a tongue piercing called?

The standard one is a midline tongue piercing. The jewelry is called a tongue ring, though it's a straight barbell.

Can I eat after a tongue piercing?

Yes. Start with soft, cool foods like yogurt, smoothies and soup, take small bites, and rinse afterward. Most people eat normally again within a week or two.

How can you tell if a tongue piercing is healed?

The swelling, tenderness and discharge are gone, and the jewelry moves without discomfort. Your piercer can confirm it.

When can I kiss after a tongue piercing?

Avoid open-mouth kissing and oral contact until the piercing is healed, and at minimum for the first few weeks. Another person's saliva can carry bacteria into a fresh piercing.

How much does a tongue piercing cost?

It varies by studio and city, and often includes starter jewelry. Ask what metal it is and whether the downsize bar is included.

Planning other piercings? See our guides to the types of lip piercings and the types of nose piercings.

Find your next tongue ring

Whether you need a titanium barbell for your downsize or a new look for a healed tongue, we've sold body jewelry since 2018. Free shipping on orders over $35. Shop all tongue rings.