If You Wear A Removable Grill, Take Measures To Protect Your Teeth

Posted on: 21 January 2016

Do you wear a metal dental grill to show off your style? These fashion accessories may look cool, but they do present a few risks to your dental health if you're not careful to protect your teeth. To make sure you don't end up with cavities, mouth sores, gum disease, and other issues due to your grill, follow these tips.

Don't glue the grill in place.

Some grill wearers have tried to make their removable grills more permanent by gluing them in place. Don't let anyone talk you into trying this! Not only can ingesting the glue be dangerous, but the glue can cause your tooth enamel to erode. Also, removable grills are not meant to be worn constantly. With the device glued into place, you'll have no way to clean your teeth underneath it – and failing to brush and floss properly can lead to extensive cavities and decay.

Use a grill made from high-quality metals.

Some low-quality grills are made from reactive metals like nickel or lead. These might cause allergic reactions in your mouth, leading to itching and sores.  Lead jewelry can lead to lead poisoning, which can cause confusion, headaches, and delusions. If you insist on wearing a grill, make sure it is one made from gold or silver, as these are generally considered safe for use in the mouth.

Limit the amount of time that you wear the grill.

A grill will trap saliva, food particles, and bacteria against your teeth. This isn't so bad if it happens for a short period of time, but leaving it in place for hours can contribute to tooth decay. Try to only wear the grill when out in public and when people will actually see you. Leave it out when you're home, alone, or in another place where you don't care about your image. In short, the less you wear the grill, the better.

Clean your grill.

Bacteria can take up residence on your grill, and then each time you put it back into your mouth, you'll be introducing those bacteria to your mouth. Each time you remove your grill, give it a good rinse with water. Try to brush it with your toothbrush and rinse it with an antiseptic mouthwash at least once a day.

Wearing a dental gill may not be the safest choice you can make for your dental health, but if you're insistent upon doing so, following the tips above can minimize your risk of cavities, gum disease, and related problems. Contact a dentist, like Tony Parsley, DMD, for more help.

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