'Listen to Black Women' — Botched Dental Work & Preventive Care
Watch ‘Listen to Black Women’ S6, Ep. 2 Part 4: Dr. Nicole Sparks & Dr. Jarrett Manning Talk Preventative Care, Botched Dental Work & Loving Your Body Unapologetically
The ladies return for the fourth segment of our Listen to Black Women health series. Lore’l and Jessie Woo have a seat at the roundtable to explore real questions about Black women’s health. Joined by OB-GYN Dr. Nicole Sparks and cosmetic dentist Dr. Jarrett Manning, nothing is off-limits. From grillz and “piano teeth” to mammograms and pap smears, our experts serve truth and transparency in an enlightening discussion about advocating for your health—unapologetically.
Can grillz damage teeth?
With cosmetic dental trends flooding social media, the conversation turned to grillz and their impact on dental health. Lore’l had seen a woman on her feed who was wearing grillz for months straight. “I guess because she felt like she spent a lot of money on this grill, that she didn’t have to brush her teeth underneath. How do grillz affect our teeth and our dental health?”
Dr. Jarrett, a licensed cosmetic dentist, warned that grillz can be “very detrimental” to our teeth if worn improperly. “Grillz should be temporary. The removable grillz are not meant for you to leave them in … You want to go out with the girls to the club and wear a grill, cool. Take it off as soon as you get home, and be prepared to floss and brush your teeth. This is not meant to be permanent,” she said. “Now, if done properly, grillz can be amazing.”
Bottom line, Dr. Jarrett said, whether it’s grillz, veneers, or tooth gems, the safest route is always through a dentist. “My whole thing is, if a licensed dentist is not providing the care and the services, you should be concerned,” she said.
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Can bad veneers be fixed or reversed?
With veneers trending in cosmetic dentistry, there are also plenty of mishaps and botched smiles that happen when the work isn’t done properly. Jessie Woo asked, “Are your real teeth recoverable after a bad piano teeth job?”
The reality is: “No. If you are going in to remove tooth structure, that is irreversible,” Dr. Jarrett said. “If you go somewhere and they do a bad job—and you decide, ‘I’m going there because, hey, it’s cheaper’—you’re going to end up spending way more money because you have to go somewhere else to make sure that it’s done correctly. So it’s always better to just get it done right by a professional dentist the first time, and not even go that route.”
How can Black women advocate for their health and wellness?
Wrapping up this eye-opening discussion, our experts shared key takeaways for the Listen to Black Women audience to carry with them. “The main thing is: advocate for yourself. Take care of yourself,” said Dr. Jarrett. “If you can get your hair and nails done, you can schedule your appointments. If you can buy the bag, you can get the work done.”
“Vet your providers. Do your due diligence,” she added. “Interview them, sit with them—because you have to find the person that is there for you, that is going to cater to what you need and your wants.”
Dr. Nicole encouraged listeners to advocate for their health with confidence. “I want to let our lovely Black women know, you’re not doing too much … You need to be an advocate for your health, whatever that takes—whether it’s coming in armed with the education that you need or coming in with the questions that you need.”
The OB-GYN emphasized: prevention is key. “Prevention is so important … The only time I see cervical cancer is in somebody who has not had a pap smear in the five years prior. So come get your pap smear, get your colonoscopy, get your labs done, get your blood pressure checked. The number one killer of Black women is cardiovascular disease.” She added, “My mammogram’s already scheduled, I’m about to be 40.”
