Grills or “fronts” may be stylish to some patients, but the American Dental Association says wearers should take notice that they also might be bringing an increased risk of tarnishing the health of their teeth and gums. Grill wearers should be very careful about making a fashion statement with tooth adornments, cautions Matt Messina, DDS, American Dental Association consumer advisor. Dr. Messina, who practices dentistry in the Cleveland area, says the removable grill fits over the teeth and snaps into place. They are often made of gold, silver, or jewel-encrusted precious metals, and may range in cost from $20 to thousands of dollars. According to Dr. Messina, they pose potential problems such as irritation of gum tissue that can cause infection from food and other debris trapped under the grill. In addition, bacteria may collect and cause decay, and teeth may possibly be chipped or even shift. There is also the potential for grills to irritate surrounding oral tissues and to wear the enamel on the opposing teeth. To help prevent problems, wearers should be especially careful to brush and floss, limit the amount of time spent wearing removable grills, and remove them before eating. Clean the grills daily to remove plaque bacteria and food debris, and avoid using jewelry cleaners or any products that are dangerous to ingest. Dr. Messina also cautions that some jewelers and other “grill” vendors might not know that, in some states, taking an impression of someone’s mouth is practicing dentistry, which requires a license.
(Source: American Dental Association news release, June 28, 2006)
