After the healing period of four to eight weeks, you must change, or downsize, your tongue ring, according to Elayne Angel, author of "The Piercing Bible: The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing." A professional piercer will provide you with options for the new tongue jewelry. Purchasing a tongue ring from your piercer, in a licensed, professional shop, ensures that the jewelry is of high quality and safe to wear in your tongue piercing.
Function
The main function of a tongue ring is to fill the piercing channel in the tongue; keeping the tongue piercing open at a specific size, or gauge. While some people want a tongue piercing for the style or look it provides, others may wear a tongue ring for spiritual or erotic reasons.
Size
The size of a tongue ring consists of gauge and length. The gauge coincides with the width of the piercing channel. Tongue barbells are available in as small as 14 gauge and as large as 00 gauge. The length of tongue barbell depends on the shape and size of your tongue. A tongue ring with a long length, such as 3/4 or 7/8, is necessary for your initial tongue piercing to allow for swelling. Once your tongue piercing heals, the piercer inserts a shorter tongue ring: the length should be short enough to prevent the barbell from constantly moving, thus protecting your teeth and gums; but long enough so that your tongue piercing is not pinched.
Colors
The first tongue barbell you wear, the barbell the piercer inserts after the needle, is sterilized in an autoclave. Only metals such as titanium, niobium and stainless steel can withstand the high temperatures of the sterilization process. Stainless steel tongue rings have a silver color, while titanium and niobium undergo an electrical process to produce bright colors such as pink, purple or green. After healing your piercing, acrylic or plastic jewelry is an option. Acrylic jewelry is available in clear, as well as colors such as red and black.
Types
Several types of tongue barbells are available. Traditional barbells have a post in the middle and threaded balls on each end. A slave barbell has a ball on the bottom of the post and a ring circles the top ball. A plug or tunnel, held into the tongue piercing by an o-ring on the top and the bottom, is an option for large tongue piercings, such as eight gauge or higher. Acrylic retainers, clear or flesh tone in color, are available to hide your tongue piercing while keeping the channel open, according to Infinite Body Piercing.
Considerations
You should remove your tongue ring or consider wearing only acrylic jewelry if you cannot stop chewing on your tongue jewelry. Stainless steel, gold, titanium or niobium will cause damage to your teeth, such as diminishing enamel or chipping, according to the American Dental Association.
