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How to Eat With a Tongue Piercing

selective focus photography of woman licking orange fruit

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If you recently had your tongue pierced, you may find it difficult to eat. It’s very common for people who aren’t used to their piercing to knock their jewelry against their teeth. Unfortunately, your tongue ring will also be a bit too long during this time to accommodate for swelling. Once you downsize your jewelry and get used to your piercing, you’ll find it a lot easier to eat normally. Until then, just avoid certain complicated or spicy food and remember to always rinse your mouth with water after eating.

Is it Hard to Eat with a Tongue Piercing?

It’s only hard to eat with a tongue piercing until you get your jewelry downsized and you get used to it. Most people are able to continue eating as normal before the healing period is even over. If you’ve had your tongue piercing for a long time but you’re still having a hard time eating, visit your piercer so they can help find jewelry more suited for your anatomy.

What Can You Not Eat After a Tongue Piercing?

Generally, you won’t want to eat anything that you need to chew for too long. You also definitely want to avoid foods with too much acid while healing as that definitely hurts. You’ll also want to avoid any foods that can be wrapped around or lodged into your piercing.

A few examples: chewy meat such as steak will likely be too complicated for you to attempt to chew around. You’ll likely make a mistake and hit your teeth with your jewelry. Citrus fruits like oranges, and certain condiments like mustard will burn your piercing while it’s healing. It will hurt a lot and all you can do is attempt to rinse it out with water. Spaghetti or ramen noodles are so long that they commonly become wrapped around a long tongue piercing. Sesame seeds also tend to get lodged into a tongue piercing which can be uncomfortable.

Can You Eat Spicy Food While Healing a Tongue Piercing?

While you’re healing, spicy food will probably hurt. It’s important to remember that until you’re fully healed, your piercing is, in fact, an open wound. If you’ve had chapped lips to the point they split, you’ll be familiar with the unrelenting pain of attempting to eat mustard with a wound. It’s not something you’d do willingly. After your piercing is fully healed and no longer an open wound, you can go back to eating spicy food. You’ll just need to keep an eye on your piercing to make sure it’s not swelling and remember to rinse it with plenty of water.

List of Soft Foods to Eat After a Tongue Piercing

With a very fresh piercing, you’ll want the softest and likely blandest foods you can think of. Here are some great meal options:

  • Smoothies
  • Mild Soups
  • Ice Cream
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Refried Beans
  • Scrambled Eggs
  • Apple Sauce
  • Jello
  • Bananas
  • Peas
  • Soft Pastries cut into small pieces
  • Egg or Elbow Noodles
  • Small pieces of Soft Bread

Conclusion

A fresh tongue piercing will leave you with a few months of ginger eating. Stick with soft, bland foods that you don’t have to chew until you’re able to get your jewelry downsized. It won’t be long until you get used to your tongue piercing and can return to normal eating. You should avoid foods that are too spicy or can get wrapped around your piercing, such as noodles. Always remember to rinse your mouth with water after eating!