Love the look of a tongue piercing but want to know more about it? These types of piercings have been around a long time (since the Mayans 2000 BC) and are just as significant as they were back then. Oral piercings are positioned anywhere inside or around the mouth, for example, the tongue, lips and cheeks. They fall into the facial piercings category but given the particular care required, they warrant a category of their own.
We created this article so you can learn everything you need to know about the different types of oral piercings (or mouth piercings).
Are you suited to an oral piercing?
It’s essential to have a chat with your piercing artist first as to your suitability to the various types of mouth and facial piercings. For the most part, if you are considering lips and cheeks, then there’s generally not too much to worry about except for proper aftercare, but if you are in the market for a tongue piercing then read on.
If you have a short tongue, a lot of tongue webbing stretching far up the tongue, a vein in the wrong place or suffer certain health conditions, then a tongue piercing may not be possible. Health conditions such as paralysis, nerve issues or immune conditions could also impact your ability for proper recovery. It's best to consult with your practitioner first.
Types of oral piercings
Assuming you get the green light, then there are quite a few oral piercings to explore including tongue, tongue webbing, labret, the Madonna, the Medusa and the Smiley to name a few more. To aid you in your mouth piercing search, here’s a description of each oral piercing to check out:
Madonna Piercing
Yep, you guessed it. The Material Girl has influenced this piercing with its off-centre placement like a beauty spot positioned generally on the right side of the upper lip.
Medusa & Labret Piercings
The Medusa piercing is centred in the upper lip whilst the Labret piercing is centred in the lower lip.
Smiley Piercing
As the name suggests, these piercings is positioned in the upper inner lip and is usually centred and appears when you smile. It’s a virtually painless piercing to get and is performed with a ball closure ring.
Tongue Web Piercings
The Tongue web is the thin membrane just below and attached to the tongue itself. They are a popular choice as there is relative ease of healing and they offer an opportunity for an oral piercing for those who cannot get one due to the size of their tongue.
Recommended jewellery for any kind of oral piercing
Generally, a stainless steel or titanium barbell 16-18mm is used for oral piercings. Titanium is considered to be best as it is less likely to cause an allergic reaction. Whichever you go for, make sure it’s medical grade. It’s possible to get a different kind of barbell once the swelling has gone down and you have completed your aftercare.
Everything you need to know about oral piercings can be found at Celebrity Ink™. We recognise and celebrate individuality and are the world’s leaders in piercings and tattoos - come and see why! Contact us today for all the information you need.
