How to Reduce Tongue Swelling

Providing Home Care

Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can reduce swelling and relieve pain. Take your medication according to the label’s instructions. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking acetaminophen. Mixing them can result in liver damage.

Apply ice or a wet, cold cloth for 20 minutes. Wrap ice or an ice pack in a clean cloth, and hold it to your tongue for 15 to 20 minutes. You could also use a cloth soaked in cold water, chew on ice chips, or suck on a popsicle. Apply ice, chew ice chips, or consume a cold food or beverage throughout the day as long as you experience tongue swelling.

Take an antihistamine if you suspect a mild allergic reaction. Call emergency services if you have a life-threatening food allergy, have trouble breathing due to tongue swelling, or experience any other severe symptoms. If swelling is minor or comes and goes, it might be due to a minor allergy. Try taking an over-the-counter antihistamine medication. Take any medication according to the label's instructions. Note which foods and beverages you've consumed that might have caused tongue swelling. See if avoiding those items improves prevents flare-ups of tongue swelling.

Brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush. A hard-bristled brush could irritate your tongue, especially if you accidentally bit it. You still need to maintain your oral hygiene, so brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Additionally, your toothpaste might irritate your tongue if it contains sodium lauryl sulfate. Check your toothpaste’s label and switch products, if necessary.

Gargle with salt and warm water if you bit your tongue. For swelling due to trauma, such as accidentally biting your tongue, use saltwater to soothe and clean the wound. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of kosher or sea salt with 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water. Gargle after meals and before you go to bed. The iodine in table salt can irritate cuts, so stick with kosher or sea salt if you bit your tongue.

Avoid hot, spicy, or acidic foods and alcohol. Irritants, such as hot temperatures, spicy foods, and alcohol can worsen the swelling. Stay away from hot coffee or tea, chili peppers, citrus fruits and juices, and alcoholic beverages until your tongue feels better. If you use mouthwash, make sure it doesn’t contain alcohol.

Quit smoking, if necessary. Using tobacco products can cause the tongue and taste buds to swell. If you’re a smoker or use tobacco products, work on limiting your use or try to quit. Talk to your doctor about products that can help you quit.

Relieving Swelling after a Tongue Piercing

Follow your piercer's aftercare instructions. Your piercer will most likely provide you with a mouth rinse or have one available for purchase. They'll instruct you how to clean your piercing, how often to it, and how to minimize pain and swelling. Follow their instructions carefully, and ask them for clarification if any of their care guidelines are unclear.

Expect your tongue to be swollen for about 5 days. Swelling is normal and unavoidable after getting a tongue piercing. However, check your tongue often to make sure that the swelling is improving and not getting worse. Most people experience swelling for 3 to 5 days. Swelling might be worse and last longer if your piercing is in the center of your tongue further from the tip. Tongue piercings usually heal completely within 2 to 4 weeks. Redness, swelling, and tenderness are normal during this time.

Apply ice, chew ice chips, and eat ice cream to relieve pain and swelling. Cold temperatures are the best way to control swelling and pain after getting your tongue pierced. Wrap ice or an ice pack in a cloth and hold it to your tongue for 15 or 20 minutes. Chew on ice chips when you’re on the go and can’t hold an ice pack to your tongue. Sucking on popsicles, drinking ice water, and eating ice cream can also help. Suck gently on ice or popsicles to avoid irritating the piercing. For some parts of your body, too much ice can decrease blood flow and interfere with proper healing. However, your tongue is packed with blood vessels, so apply ice as often as necessary to control swelling and pain.

Take over-the-counter medication once the bleeding stops. Since the tongue contains so many blood vessels, persistent bleeding sometimes occurs after getting it pierced. Medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin can make it harder for your blood to clot. Take medication for pain and swelling only if your tongue has stopped bleeding. Take any over-the-counter medication according to the label’s instructions. Stop using it if your tongue starts bleeding again. Additionally, avoid alcohol and limit your caffeine consumption. These can also make it harder for your blood to clot.

Wash your hands before and after touching the piercing. Scrub with soap and hot water before cleaning the piercing to avoid introducing germs. Wash up again after cleaning your piercing so you don’t spread germs from your mouth to others.

Gargle for 30 seconds after meals and before bed. Use the cleaning rinse your piercer provided or purchase an alcohol-free mouthwash. You could also mix 1/4 teaspoon of kosher or sea salt with 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water. Rinse your mouth for 30 seconds after eating and before you go to bed to prevent an infection. Stick with iodine-free salt instead of table salt to avoid irritating the piercing. If your piercing stings when you gargle with saltwater, it may also help to reduce the amount of salt you're using.

Leave your piercing alone while it heals. Avoid twisting, fiddling with, or biting on your piercing while it heals, and touch it only if you have to clean it. Playing with your jewelry can make swelling worse and interfere with proper healing.

Remove and clean your tongue ring daily after the piercing has healed. After 2 to 4 weeks, your piercer will probably have you return to their parlor so they can replace your tongue ring’s bar. While you’re there, ask them to show you how to remove it so you can clean it daily. Each night, brush the barbell with saline solution or boil it for 3 minutes on the stovetop. When your tongue is pierced, you’ll wear a long bar that won’t constrict your swollen tongue. When the swelling goes away, your piercer should swap the long bar for a shorter standard bar to prevent oral injuries. Your tongue might not be fully healed, so it’s important for a professional to swap out the long bar. Ask your piercer when it’ll be safe to remove your jewelry for daily cleaning. You should also remove your tongue ring before playing sports to prevent oral injuries.

See a doctor if you have an infected piercing. Signs of an infection include pain, burning, throbbing, yellow or green discharge, and worsening pain, redness, and swelling. If you suspect your piercing is infected, ask your piercer to recommend a local doctor or health clinic with experience treating infected oral piercings. A reputable piercer should know of local medical professionals who are knowledgeable about piercings. If your piercer isn’t sure, just give your primary doctor a call. A pale, odorless discharge that weeps from a new piercing is normal. However, yellow or green pus that has a foul odor is a sign that the piercing is infected. Redness, pain, and swelling are normal, but these should get better over time. Your piercing might not be healing properly if these symptoms don’t subside within 2 to 4 weeks.

Treating Severe or Persistent Swelling

Seek medical attention if you have trouble breathing. Severe swelling that blocks the airway could be life-threatening. Call emergency services or get to an emergency room as soon as possible. Sudden, severe swelling is a symptom of a serious allergic reaction.

See your doctor if swelling persists for more than 10 days. Tongue swelling usually goes away on its own within a few days, especially if it’s swollen because you bit it. If swelling persists, you might have an infection, mild allergic reaction, or other condition. Tell your doctor when your tongue started to swell, if you’re experiencing any other symptoms, and about any potential allergens, such as food or medications. They might recommend antibiotics for an infection or antihistamine medication for an allergic reaction.

Ask if you might have a nutrient deficiency. A vitamin B deficiency could cause tongue swelling. Tell your doctor about your diet and ask if they recommend any changes. They might have you take a vitamin supplement or eat more foods that contain vitamin B, such as meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.

Discuss potential thyroid or lymph system issues with your doctor. If your doctor rules out an infection, allergic reaction, and a nutrient deficiency, they might order blood tests to identify an underlying condition. While thyroid and lymph system conditions can cause a bulging or swollen tongue, these are far less common than issues like infections and allergies. If your doctor identifies a thyroid or lymph system disorder, they’ll prescribe medication to control it. Take any medication as directed, and don’t stop taking your medicine without consulting your doctor.