Professional piercers generally perform the piercing with a straight barbell made from surgical steel. The shape of the tongue jewelry rarely deviates from the straight barbell because of the importance placed on the comfort and movement of your tongue. If you use a different shape, like a horseshoe or a curved barbell, you might experience some pain or discomfort. The standard width is 14 gauge for professional piercers.
Piercing jewelry for the tongue comes in a variety of materials. Professional tongue piercings are done with surgical-grade steel barbells. You can purchase tongue jewelry made from 14-karat gold, titanium, silicone or acrylic. Gold, titanium and silicone are hypoallergenic materials that don't irritate the mouth. Silicone is used for hiding the piercing. Acrylic is the cheapest material, but it's not recommended if you have a new piercing or sensitive skin.
Find the proper length for your tongue piercing. The barbell the piercer will initially put in will be about 3/4 of an inch to accommodate for swelling of the tongue. After the piercing has healed, you should change the barbell to a shorter length to ensure the jewelry doesn't hit or snag on your teeth. The standard length is 5/8 of an inch.
You can buy all manner of ends for the tips of your piercing jewelry. The ends are most commonly ball-shaped and screw onto the barbell. Balls are most commonly made of acrylic or steel. Acrylic is recommended over steel because it is softer, and will do less damage to your teeth. Popular types of barbells also include logo discs, flat ends featuring a picture or logo.
Always consult a professional piercer. Never attempt a tongue piercing on your own.
Tighten the ends of your jewelry periodically. If not, they may become loose and you could end up swallowing the jewelry.
If the site of the piercing becomes irritated, switch to a different material. Some people are sensitive to certain materials.