13 Tips to Prevent Infections from Your Snake Bite Piercing

A vertical labret piercing, which is often called a snakebite piercing, involves two horizontal piercings on opposite sides of the mouth that make it look like a snakebite.

Among all types of piercings, the lip piercing has become extremely popular and trendy today.

However, it is extremely important to keep the lips clean with a snakebite piercing as it helps prevent infection in the pierced area.

To keep your lip piercing clean, here are thirteen tips that can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

1. Be sure to wash your hands to remove all contamination before touching the pierced site. If someone else touches it besides you, make sure they wash their hands before touching your piercing.

2. If there is any swelling after the piercing, make sure to take ibuprofen with medical guidance to keep swelling and tenderness at bay and reduce pain in the affected area.

3. Consult your piercer and take vitamin B along with zinc supplements before the piercing procedure and after the piercing to enhance your healing.

4. Clean the pierced area with mild, fragrance-free antibacterial soap and warm water and rinse with a cotton pad.

5. Gently remove any scab buildup that has formed around the pierced area with warm water at least twice a day.

6. Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a medicated toothpaste that contains a low fluoride content. Floss after brushing, which helps to eliminate the formation of bacteria inside the oral cavity.

7. Rinse your mouth with salt water to speed up the healing process of snakebite piercings.

8. Rotate your piercing jewelry at least twice a day so it doesn’t get stuck and cause you to end up with improper healing of the pierced area.

9. It is best to avoid drinking, eating or smoking within the first few hours after the piercing.

10. Disinfect your mouth after eating, smoking, or drinking with a medicated oral disinfectant.

11. Completely avoid any type of oral sex until the wound is fully healed.

12. Eat ice cream, yogurt, cold foods or suck on chopped popsicles or hold a block of ice in your mouth twice a day for the first two weeks after your piercing. Cold things have been observed to help reduce pain and reduce swelling after snakebite piercings.

13. Do not remove or attempt to replace jewelry under any circumstances unless recommended by the piercer as pierced holes close up very quickly and it becomes extremely painful to reattach jewelry should this happen.