Smiley Piercing [50 Ideas]: Pain Level, Healing Time, Cost, Experience

Imagine a piercing that’s only visible when you smile. Intrigued? That’s exactly what the smiley piercing is for!

What is a Smiley Piercing?

The frenulum is a thin piece of tissue between your top gum and lip. Standard smiley piercings require puncturing the frenulum so that a circular barbell or ring can hang down just in front of your top teeth. This piercing gets its name from its functionality because it’s a secret until you smile!

Read more about the smiley’s partner piercing on the bottom lip – the frowny piercing.

Should You Get a Smiley Piercing?

While the smiley piercing is somewhat unusual, it’s both appealing and concerning in different ways. As with anything in life, there are positives and negatives to getting a smiley piercing:

Pros:

Smiley piercings are easily hidden and discreet. Smiley placement is an advantage if you are concerned about keeping a professional appearance and not having visible piercings.
The pain level of smiley piercings is relatively low because of the thin layer of tissue punctured. This is a considerably less painful piercing than many facial piercings that go through cartilage or thicker skin.

Cons:

Smiley piercings are not suitable for everybody. Your piercer could refuse to pierce you if your frenulum is too thin or the area is too small to hold the jewelry in place. It’s smart to make sure both of things won’t be an issue before going to get pierced.
There are some associated health risks with smiley piercings. Since the jewelry dangles between your lip and teeth, gum and teeth issues can arise. However, these risks are reduced if you’re mindful of your aftercare routine and oral health following your piercing procedure.

Smiley Piercing Procedure

Before the procedure, your piercer will have you rinse your mouth with antibacterial mouth wash for a clean start. After getting prepared for everything involved, your piercer will clamp the frenulum and insert the needle when they have everything lined up.

The procedure takes only a few seconds, and the jewelry is inserted immediately afterwards. The last step is to discuss aftercare with your piercer. Following proper aftercare recommendations will help your piercing to heal faster.

It’s one thing to read about, and another to see it. Check out these videos for an idea of what to expect:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b6VHKykx78

How Much do Smiley Piercings Hurt?

4 out of 10

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The smiley piercing is rated at a 4/10 on the pain scale for most people.

However, your pain level always depends on your individual pain tolerance. Thankfully, the smiley procedure is relatively fast and pierces thin skin. Your upper lip area may be swollen or sore afterward. This is a typical reaction to most piercings, and it can cause some discomfort if this is your first oral piercing.

Find out more about relative piercing pain from this handy chart.

Smiley Piercing Healing and Aftercare

Your new smiley piercing will take anywhere from 1 – 3 months to fully heal.

Smiley healing time is relatively short compared to some other piercings. The first month after piercing is crucial to making sure your piercing stays safe and clean. Keep these things in mind when handling and cleaning your smiley piercing:

Always watch your hands thoroughly before touching your piercing.
Maintain good oral hygiene and keep your toothbrush clean.
Do not remove the jewelry until the piercing is completely healed. Potential side effects of taking your jewelry out too early include piercing closure, jewelry rejection or infection.
Get familiar with your cleaning routine since you’ll be doing it regularly.
Consult with your piercer or doctor immediately if you notice swelling, bleeding or infection. Do not wait or try to self-diagnose!

Recommended Aftercare Products

Sea salt

This reliable sea salt for saline solutions is a must.

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Piercing aftercare spray

Saline spray is perfect for cleaning your piercing on-the-go and super easy to throw in your bag.

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Cleaning Your Smiley Piercing

Use alcohol-free antibacterial mouthwash to avoid irritating your new piercing. Rinse your mouth with this mouthwash around 4-6 times a day, especially after eating.

Make your saline solution to directly clean your piercing. Get a gallon of distilled water and mix in four tablespoons of sea salt (not table salt). Voila, you have your saline solution! Use a small towel or pad to apply the saline solution to either side of your piercing. This should be done twice per day, preferably in the morning and before going to bed. Keep going with this daily routine until you see that your smiley piercing is healed.

Read more on how to use saline solution to clean a new piercing.

What to Avoid During Healing

The healing process will be relatively painless and quick, as long as you avoid a few things:

Do not to irritate your piercing. Avoid playing with your jewelry or touching it with your tongue.
Avoid oral contact for the first few weeks. Let your body get used to the piercing first.
Do not eat spicy or acidic food, and avoid smoking. These choices will extend your healing time.
Do not put anything in the mouth anything except for food. The less potential bacteria introduced, the better.

Smiley Piercing Risks

It’s important to be aware of potential complications related to your new smiley piercing.

Gum rubbing. If you wear captive rings, the ball may irritate your gums and even cause gum recession. Be aware of this and choose your jewelry wisely!
Teeth chipping or erosion. Your jewelry is going to knock against your teeth periodically, so keep this in mind when you try out a new jewelry style.
Migration can happen if your body rejects the jewelry. You will notice migration it if the jewelry starts to move out of the frenulum. Consider changing the jewelry or removing your piercing completely to prevent further issues.