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How to Change A Tongue Ring

What many people call a tongue ring is not actually a ring at all, but rather a piece of jewelry called a barbell. Barbells -- often made of surgical stainless steel but sometimes made of titanium, niobium or acrylic -- unscrew into three pieces: the bar and a small bead on both ends. The barbell in your tongue may be internally threaded, with threads that stick out of the beads and screw into a hollow bar, or externally threaded, with hollow beads and threads cut into the ends of the bar.

Things You'll Need

  • Antiseptic mouthwash
  • Antibacterial soap
  • Paper towels
  • Autoclave sterilized barbell
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Instructions

    • 1

      Rinse your mouth with antiseptic mouthwash for at least 30 seconds to remove harmful bacteria. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and hot water and dry them with a clean paper towel.

    • 2

      Stick your tongue out and grip the bottom bead of your barbell firmly with another clean paper towel.

    • 3

      Use your other hand to turn the top bead counter-clockwise, or to the left, until it unscrews from the bar. Pull the bar straight down and out of your tongue.

    • 4

      Open the sterile package containing your new, autoclaved barbell. Piercers remove both beads from barbells before putting them in the autoclave, so you must screw one of them onto the bar before inserting it into your tongue.

    • 5

      Stick out your tongue again and insert the barbell into your piercing from top to bottom, so that the bead rests on your tongue.

    • 6

      Using a clean paper towel, press the top bead against your tongue. Point the tip of your tongue upward so you can see the bar coming out the bottom.

    • 7

      Screw the other autoclaved bead into the bottom bar by turning the bead to the right. Grasp both beads and twist them in opposite directions to tighten the jewelry in your tongue.

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