A straight barbell is most popularly used in tongue piercings. 14 Ga is the most common gauge used for tongue ring piercing. In order to give room to the swelling, the initial length of the pierced body jewelry should be at least 3/4″. When the tongue rings piercing has become well, it can be changed to a shorter barbell of 9/16″, or 14 mm, which is the most common size of tongue rings. It is recommended to wear a shorter barbell after the tongue piercing is healed.