Grills and tooth gems are decorative jewellery for the teeth. Grills are a metal tray for the teeth, often melted and carved with intricate designs. Grills can be made for both the upper and lower teeth and can cover as few as one or all of the teeth.
Teeth gems, similarly, decorate the teeth using body-safe gems or jewels, which are glued onto the teeth in a desired pattern.
Are grills bad for the teeth?
Grills can be bad for our teeth for several reasons, but with the proper maintenance, correct fit, and a clean mouth, most issues can be avoided entirely. Some of the issues to consider with wearing grills are:
- An ill-fitting grill – a poorly fitted grill can cause damage to both the teeth and the soft tissues, depending on where it isn’t fitting. If a grill doesn’t easily pop into place, do not force it. The risk of chipping or breaking a tooth increases.
- Trapped bacteria – bacteria can very easily become trapped, as there is no saliva to rinse away the bacteria between the grill and the natural tooth. The risk is also increased if the wearer drinks and eats with the grills in. Which is not advised.
- Pulling the teeth out of alignment – long-term wearing can force the teeth out of their natural position, especially if not properly fitted.
- Cause speech impediments – a grill that spans the front teeth can affect how our articulations and ultimately can result in a speech impediment.
- An increased risk of decay – the more bacteria there are trapped between the teeth and gums, the more prone a person is to decay.
- An increased risk of gum disease – as bacteria become trapped, it can irritate the gums. For those with already poor hygiene, this can increase the chances of developing gum disease.
Are tooth gems bad for the teeth?
Whether they are safe or not entirely depends on their application, whether it has been done professionally, and the quality of the products being used.
- Plaque buildup – if the teeth aren’t properly cleaned before application, it can pose serious issues with bacteria festering beneath the glue.
- Soft tissue irritation – if the wrong type of glue is used, like a nail glue, it can risk chemically burning the soft tissues as they aren’t biocompatible. Equally, an unsafe gem can scratch and irritate the inside of the lip.
- Enamel damage – when the wrong type of glue is used, whether that be exposure to harmful chemicals, pulling a chunk off or scratching it as the gem is removed.
How often can dental accessories be worn?
Grills
Dental grills are non-permanent and should be removed when eating, drinking and going to sleep. Brushing your teeth and cleaning the grills in between uses is essential to reducing the bad bacteria that could become trapped.
Grills should not be worn all of the time, and they should not be glued onto the teeth, as this can cause irreparable damage to the gums and teeth. Limiting wearing to a couple of hours at a time ensures any risks are eliminated.
Tooth jewels
Teeth gems, on the other hand, are a semi-permanent accessory. If properly maintained and professionally applied, they can last anywhere between three months to a year.
Back-to-back application wouldn’t be advised, as those areas of the enamel have not been exposed to cleaning products. Taking a break between applications is the best way to protect the health of your mouth.
Maintaining a regular and thorough hygiene routine is one of the easiest ways to guarantee their longevity and the preservation of healthy, natural teeth.