How to Clean a Tongue Ring

Brushing your teeth and using mouthwash might seem like enough but, when you have a tongue ring, keeping the barbell clean is important to good oral hygiene.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Listerine
• Small pan
• Stove
• Water
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Barbell (aka tongue ring)

1. Remove both ends from the tongue ring. Depending on how long it has been since they have been removed, this could be difficult. If it's a brand new barbell, you should still clean it thoroughly before inserting it into your mouth.

2. Bring water to a boil in small sauce pan over high heat. This will help kill any germs that may be living on the tongue ring or in the threading at the ends.

3. Place post and ends of barbell in boiling water for 2 or 3 minutes. During this time, you can use some mouthwash, such as Listerine, to disinfect your mouth.

4. Remove the tongue ring from the boiling water and allow to cool. It will take several minutes for the metal pieces to be cool enough to handle.

5. Replace tongue ring back into it's proper position in the tongue making sure to tighten the ends as tightly as possible.

6. Follow this thorough cleaning with occasional cleaning by soaking the tongue ring in hydrogen peroxide for several minutes. The foaming of the peroxide will let you know that it is killing the bacteria.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash your hands before handling the barbell.
• Clean often to avoid buildup of "gunk".
• Be gentle when removing the barbell from the tongue. One end will usually screw off easier than the other. If you have difficulty, visit a local piercing professional for assistance.
• Be cautious when removing the post and end pieces from the boiling water. Consider using a pair of tongs or draining the water through a thin meshed strainer.