I've had both (tongue and Labret) done for over ten years now. Don't worry, it will heal quickly if you take care of it. Mine only took a couple of days and I was eating like normal again. As for the Labret, when I take it out (usually only for jobs) you really can't tell it was ever there- especially if you wear makeup.

Yeah, I've been using listerine at least four times a day- I got it done on Saturday. I'm just worried that it won't heal since I had terrible luck with my nose. (Got it done 3 times and it got infected 3 times, but the first time because I discovered I was allergic to silver.) I know that the nose and tongue are completely different, but I just wanna be careful. :|

Boo listerine and any other alcohol based mouthwashes...try biotene instead... Good to be careful though, better that than nothing. I have three liprings and a tongue ring, you can hardly see the little holes when I take the rings out for work. Oral piercings are the second fastest healing piercings, it'll feel normal size in a week and you'll hate the extra long barbell. I ate pizza the day after I got my tongue done...the trick is to take a piece of food and stick it back where you chew things up so that you don't have to make your tongue try to push it back there. Then it's just chew and swallow! :P

Great pic, btw, that is a great depiction of what it feels like at first, lol.

ouch lol looks painful