Grillz: Not for Gangstas Only. Get Your Shine On!

Grills are sparkly, removable tooth coverings, also known as: golds, plates, fronts, snatch outs, take outs, pullouts, caps, six packs, or twelve packs.

Rappers Nelly, Paul Wall, Ali and Gipp popularized grillsin their song, “Grillz.” Where once you might have seen a gold tooth here or there, for instance, on that big guy in one of the old James Bonds movies, nowadays decorated mouths are for anyone who wants to “get their shine on.” Grills are not worn by men only; even women and children are sporting the decorative, jeweled tooth covers.

Grills are made to slide over the teeth. It is necessary to have a mold made of the teeth before the custom mouthpieces can be crafted. Prices range from approximately $30 for some single covers, up to several thousand for the more complex designs made from gold, platinum, and other jewels.

Grills are not meant to be worn for long periods of time without cleaning, due to the risk of tooth decay or harm to the health of the gums. Frequent, thorough cleaning (using jewelry cleaner) is a must. Food particles and bacteria can collect under the grills, causing a foul odor and a potential for dental disease.

Custom tooth coverings can be made to cover a single tooth, or up to several teeth on both the top and bottom. Grills can be purchased either online or in a local shop.