Grillz have become a popular fashion accessory, especially in hip hop culture. They are cosmetic dental accessories made of metal and worn over the teeth. Bottom grillz are fitted to the lower set of teeth. A common question many people have is whether you can eat while wearing bottom grillz. There are a few factors to consider when determining if bottom grillz will impact eating.
Types of Bottom Grillz
There are a few main types of bottom grillz:
- Removable grillz – These can be taken out by the wearer and do not impact eating.
- Permanent grillz – These are capped over the teeth and cannot be removed. They will impact eating.
- Temporary grillz – These may be glued on and last for up to a week. They may make eating more difficult.
Removable bottom grillz will be the easiest to eat with since you can take them out for meals. Permanent or temporary grillz can’t be removed, so they may interfere with eating.
Foods That Are Hard to Eat With Bottom Grillz
Certain foods will be more difficult to eat while wearing non-removable bottom grillz:
- Chewy foods like bagels, pizza, and meat may get stuck in grillz.
- Hard foods like nuts and seeds could damage grillz.
- Sticky foods like caramel or taffy may get lodged in grillz.
- Crunchy foods like apples, carrots, or chips could crack or warp grillz.
- Hot foods may cause discomfort with grillz.
Softer foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, soups, and scrambled eggs will be easier to eat with bottom grillz. The hardness or texture of food will determine how easy it is to eat with grillz on your bottom teeth.
Eating and Biting With Bottom Grillz
Bottom grillz can impact your ability to bite, chew, and swallow food. Here are some of the effects bottom grillz may have on eating:
Difficulty Biting Food
The metal and stiff nature of grillz can make it harder to bite into foods. Your teeth may not sink into foods as readily with grillz on them. This can make biting off pieces of food more challenging compared to bare teeth.
Discomfort Chewing
Having a foreign object like grillz on your teeth can cause discomfort while chewing food. The motion of your bottom jaw moving up and down can cause irritation. Harder foods may also press uncomfortably on grillz while chewing.
Food Getting Caught
Food particles can easily get stuck in grillz, especially foods like rice, lettuce, meat, or corn. The small holes and spaces in the grillz can trap pieces of food. You may need to floss or pick food out of bottom grillz after eating.
Avoiding Certain Foods
To minimize damage to bottom grillz or eating discomfort, some foods may need to be avoided. Sticky, hard, chewy, and crunchy foods pose more risks. It’s best to stick to softer foods that are less likely to damage grillz.
Slower Eating
Having to carefully bite off smaller pieces of food and frequently clear grillz of trapped food can lead to slower eating. The adjustments needed to eat with bottom grillz can increase mealtime.
Difficulty Swallowing
Some people may find it harder to move food to the back of their mouth and swallow effectively with grillz obstructing the teeth. Larger pieces of food may need to be chewed more thoroughly before swallowing.
Oral Health Considerations
Bottom grillz can impact your oral hygiene and dental health:
Plaque Buildup
Grillz can trap food debris against your teeth, leading to more plaque buildup and increasing your risk of cavities or decay. Extra care is required to clean teeth under grillz.
| Type of Grillz | Plaque Buildup Risk |
|---|---|
| Removable Grillz | Low – You can fully clean teeth by removing grillz |
| Permanent Grillz | High – Nearly impossible to fully clean under permanent grillz |
Gum Health
Ill-fitting grillz can rub and irritate gums. Extra periodontal care is required. Permanent grillz make flossing impossible, increasing gum infection risks.
Tooth Decay Under Grillz
Trapped food and plaque under grillz increases your decay risk. Permanent grillz make it hard to detect and treat new cavities. Tooth decay can progress undetected.
Chipped or Cracked Teeth
Hard foods and ice may cause bottom grillz to press against and damage underlying teeth. Chips and cracks increase your tooth sensitivity and decay risks.
Proper dental hygiene and care is critical when wearing bottom grillz to avoid damaging your teeth and gums. Work closely with your dentist if you choose to get permanent bottom grillz.
Tips for Eating With Bottom Grillz
Here are some tips to make eating easier with bottom grillz:
- Stick to soft, smooth foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, and gravy.
- Cut food into very small pieces to minimize chewing difficulty.
- Remove loose bottom grillz when possible before eating.
- Rinse or brush grillz after eating to remove trapped food.
- Use a grillz pick to dislodge stuck food particles after meals.
- Avoid sticky, hard, crunchy, and chewy foods that can damage grillz.
- Take a painkiller beforehand if you anticipate chewing discomfort.
- Eat slowly and be cautious when biting and chewing.
Making some adjustments and being careful when eating can help you manage bottom grillz better. Consider removable grillz if you want to avoid eating impairment.
Foods to Eat With Bottom Grillz
- Mashed potatoes or baked potatoes without skin
- Yogurt
- Applesauce or canned fruit
- Soups, especially blended or creamy soups
- Pasta with smooth sauces like alfredo
- Oatmeal or cream of wheat
- Eggs any style
- Puddings
- Protein shakes or smoothies
Focus on soft, smooth foods when wearing bottom grillz. Prioritize liquid-based foods and items that don’t require much chewing.
Foods to Avoid With Bottom Grillz
- Crunchy foods like chips, nuts, seeds, toast, crackers
- Sticky foods like peanut butter, caramel, taffy
- Tough, chewy foods like steak, jerky, dried fruit
- Popcorn
- Hard foods like raw carrots, pretzels, ice
- Pizza, tacos, sandwiches
- Corn on the cob
- Chewy candies like licorice, Skittles, Starburst
Avoid hard, crunchy, chewy, sticky, and sharp foods that can damage grillz or get trapped in them. Be cautious with foods that require more chewing.
Bottom Grillz Diet
Creating a grillz-friendly diet can make eating easier. Here are some bottom grillz diet tips:
Focus on Soft Foods
Emphasize soft, smooth foods that require minimal chewing like mashed potatoes, oatmeal, yogurt, cream soups, eggs, and puddings. Avoid any foods with a crunchy, chewy, or tough texture.
Cut Foods Into Small Pieces
Cut foods into dime-sized bites to minimize chewing difficulty. Smaller pieces are less likely to get painfully lodged in grillz.
Eat Moist, Wet Foods
Moist foods like broth-based soups, stews, and protein shakes slide easily off grillz without sticking. Dry foods tend to get trapped.
Avoid Foods That Can Damage Grillz
Crunchy chips, seeds, nuts, and hard candies can all crack or warp grillz. Stick to foods that pose no risk.
Watch Out for Acidic Foods
High acid foods like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and vinegar can corrode grillz over time. Consume these sparingly.
Take Your Time Eating
Allow extra time to eat slowly and carefully with grillz. Chew thoroughly before swallowing to avoid choking.
Stay Hydrated
Drink plenty of water and non-carbonated beverages to help soften foods and wash particles from grillz.
Avoid Foods That Stain
Skip foods and drinks that can discolor grillz like red wine, coffee, tea, berries, tomato sauce, and ketchup.
Adjust your diet to accommodate bottom grillz for a safer, more comfortable eating experience. Focus on soft, moist foods that require minimal chewing.
Pain When Eating with Bottom Grillz
It’s common to experience some oral pain or discomfort when eating with bottom grillz. Here’s why:
Rubbing and Friction
The stiff metal of grillz can rub uncomfortably against gums and lips during chewing. This friction on tender tissue causes irritation.
Impact on Teeth
Hard foods may press grillz forcefully onto teeth, leading to soreness in those teeth. Bottom grillz transfer more pressure onto teeth.
Dry Mouth
Grillz stretch the lips slightly, allowing air to pass in and out. This can dry out the mouth, causing general discomfort.
Gum and Lip Irritation
Improperly fitted grillz can pinch or dig into gums. Sharp grillz edges may cut lips. This damage causes pain.
Nerve Sensitivity
Pressure on teeth nerves may heighten sensitivity and cause dental pain. Grillz transfer force to these nerves during chewing.
TMJ Problems
The jaw motion needed to chew with grillz can aggravate TMJ joint issues, leading to pain. Grillz change the bite alignment.
Chewing Motion Changes
Chewing with stiff metal grillz requires some adjustment, which can strain jaw muscles. This causes soreness.
| Cause of Pain | Solution |
|---|---|
| Rubbing/Friction | Apply dental wax or lubricant inside grillz |
| Impact on Teeth | Avoid very hard, crunchy foods |
| Dry Mouth | Drink more water and use oral moisturizers |
| Irritation | File or smooth rough grillz edges |
| Nerve Sensitivity | Use sensitivity toothpaste |
| TMJ Problems | See a dentist about adjusting grillz fit |
| Chewing Changes | Take over-the-counter pain medication |
Adjusting to chewing and eating with grillz takes time. Certain steps can help minimize pain and discomfort.
Risks of Eating with Bottom Grillz
While bottom grillz may look stylish, eating with them does come with oral health risks:
Increased Tooth Decay
Food trapped under grillz causes more plaque and acid damage to tooth enamel. Permanent grillz also make it nearly impossible to detect emerging cavities.
Gum Recession
Ill-fitting grillz that rub aggressively against gums during chewing can erode gum tissue. This causes gums to recede and increases tooth sensitivity.
Chipped or Cracked Teeth
The pressure of chewing hard foods with grillz can crack teeth underneath. Grillz transfer greater force onto teeth.
Digestive Issues
Eating difficulties like improperly chewed food or swallowing larger chunks can lead to gagging, choking, or digestive problems.
Malnutrition
If grillz severely limit the foods you can eat, nutritional deficits may occur. Variety in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients may be lacking.
TMJ Disorder
The altered chewing motion and pressure on the jaw joint from grillz could worsen TMJ dysfunction. This causes chronic pain.
Damaged or Swallowed Grillz
Certain sticky foods may pull grillz off teeth or cause parts to break off and be swallowed. Grillz can also fall out.
Work with your dentist to minimize risks and maintain good oral health if choosing to eat with bottom grillz regularly. Proper grillz hygiene and diet adjustments are critical.
Bottom Grillz Removal for Eating
To make eating easier, removable bottom grillz can be taken out before meals:
Partial Removal Option
Some grillz are designed with a partial removable section to allow for easier eating. The main grillz stay in place while the front can be removed.
Avoid Food Trapping
Removing bottom grillz prevents food particles from getting caught in them during meals. This also reduces plaque buildup risks.
Prevent Damage
Certain hard, crunchy, and sticky foods can more easily damage grillz while eating. Taking grillz out avoids harm.
Improve Oral Hygiene
Your teeth and gums can be cleaned better without grillz obstructing them. Oral health improves.
Eat a Wider Variety
Removing grillz allows you to enjoy a wider array of foods without difficulty or discomfort while eating.
Avoid Choking Hazards
Larger pieces of food can more safely be chewed and swallowed without grillz in place during meals.
Minimize Discomfort
Eliminating rubbing and friction against gums and lips improves comfort while chewing and biting foods.
Consider partial or fully removable bottom grillz if you want the style but also need to eat without impediment. Just be sure to store and maintain grillz properly when out.
Conclusion
Bottom grillz can make eating more challenging, but don’t necessarily prohibit it. Removable grillz allow for easier eating when taken out before meals. Non-removable bottom grillz require adjusting your diet and eating method to softer foods that won’t damage grillz or get trapped. Work closely with your dentist to pick safe grillz and maintain your oral health if choosing to eat with them regularly. With some adaptation, bottom grillz can be worn while still enjoying a healthy, nutritious diet.