Entertainment Fashion & Style What Is Tongue Frenulum Oral Piercing? Print madaise/Flickr Fashion & Style Tattoos and Body Piercings Accessories Tops & Sweaters Dresses Skirts Jeans Pants Do It Yourself Shoes Skincare Advice Makeup Hair Fragrance Kids and Teens Bumps & Babies Learn More By Karen L. Hudson Karen L. Hudson Writer Karen L. Hudson is a tattoo artist and contributing writer. She has been an amateur artist as a hobby since grade school, and served a 12 month tattoo apprenticeship in a tattoo studio. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on 05/16/19 Frenulum piercings refer to three possible oral piercings - the tongue frenulum, the smiley, and the frowny. Let's talk about tongue frenulum piercings. What Is a Frenulum? A frenulum is a thin strip of connective tissue that attaches two body parts, in this case, the tongue and the floor of the mouth. Most people don't even notice it's there, but the term "tongue-tied" comes from a condition in which the frenulum is so far forward or so short that it constricts the natural movement of the tongue. That problem could prevent you from being able to get a straight tongue piercing during your adult years. You can always have the frenulum shortened or removed, but you also have the option of piercing it! Who Can Get a Frenulum Piercing? You can get a frenulum piercing as long as you have enough tissue available. Unlike the labial (lip) frenula piercings, this one doesn't pose any risk to your teeth or gums, but it can still rub against the bottom of your tongue and the floor of your mouth, causing irritation. The simple fact that it's almost irresistible to "play" with foreign objects in your mouth, the pulling and tugging on the piercing with your tongue can make it really sore. Especially during the first couple of weeks, you've got to try to resist the urge to play with it. What Kind of Jewelry Is Used for a Frenulum Piercing? The lingual frenulum can be pierced successfully with either a curved barbell or a CBR (usually 16 gauge), but a barbell used for initial piercing would have to be longer in order to accommodate swelling during the first few weeks of healing. If this is the case, see if your piercer offers a free jewelry change once the swelling has receded. Many professional shops include this jewelry change in the initial price of the piercing because wearing the correct jewelry size is extremely important for a successful and healthy piercing. Healing time for all oral piercings are relatively short as long as you don't play with it, have good oral hygiene and don't smoke. If needed, you should be healed enough for a jewelry change in four weeks.