Have you heard of the snaggletooth fascination in Japan? Do you know what a gap-toothed grin means in France? Ever wonder how traditions from India inspired rappers’ golden teeth? One person can see a smile in a completely different light from the next. So, before passing judgment on others’ dental preferences, learn first to celebrate this diversity. Read on for the lowdown on seven smile types from around the globe.
1. Snaggletooth Smiles
The snaggletooth embraces beauty in imperfection. The Japanese, known for their counterculture ideas, have embraced protruding and overlapping teeth and even coined a term for them. The British Dental Journal described yaeba as multi-layered teeth perceived locally and in other Asian cultures to signify youthfulness. Some Japanese women even spend large sums to attach plastic fronts to their real teeth to achieve this look.
2. Gap-Toothed Grins
If you have a gap-toothed grin, consider yourself lucky – if you’re in France, at least. The French call gap teeth dents du bonheur (teeth of happiness) or dents de la chance (lucky teeth). And, yes, they’re very stylish. Très chic indeed!
Another similar trend in Europe is the London Gap, which celebrates the space between the front teeth. Celebrity models like Lara Stone and Georgia May Jagger have given lustre to this “unusual” look.
3. Sharp-Toothed Smiles
From the Vampire Fang TikTok trend to the ritual rites of indigenous tribes in Indonesia, sharp-teethed smiles are more than just fashion fare to beware. In fact, women from the Mentawai Tribe of West Sumatra undergo a procedure that involves sharpening their teeth with hammers and needles – all in the name of beauty.
Conversely, in parts of Bali, teenagers go through potong gigi. This rite of passage involves filling canine teeth to mark their transition into becoming a woman old enough to marry.
4. Blackened Smiles
In some Southeast Asian and Oceanic cultures, locals consider teeth blackening a standard of beauty, maturity, and refinement. Meanwhile, in Japan, locals practised ohaguru or teeth blackening during the Meiji period. They believed pitch-black objects were a sign of beauty, so coal-black teeth were more attractive than pearly whites. Similarly, certain tribes in Ecuador and Peru associate black smiles with high status.
5. Golden Grins
What do Lil Wayne, Nelly, Travis Scott, and Post Malone have in common? They’ve all, at some point, “got their mouths looking something like a disco ball,” as Paul Wall rapped. The “grills” era reached its peak around the early 2000s. At that time, rap fans and celebrity icons alike adorned their teeth with bling, using it as a status symbol in true hip-hop fashion.
But this trend isn’t unique to modern hip-hop. The Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences shed light on a kind of dental jewellery known as golden choumps, which signified wealth, status, and beauty. Meanwhile, in India, the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research observed that those with gold in their bodies were considered blessed by the gods.
6. LED Teeth
As its name suggests, this smile involves affixing LED light to the teeth. Think of it as a mouthguard but illuminated. It’s no surprise that this craze comes from none other than Japan once again. Feel like mixing things up? Some LED teeth inserts even come with a wireless handheld device that lets you change the colour of your pearly whites when the mood strikes.
7. Hollywood Smiles
Having a perfect set of Hollywood teeth has become a global standard of beauty, especially when measured against Western ideals. Research by the Journal of Dental Sciences observed the correlation between attractiveness and facial structures assessed by orthodontists. The study found that having straight teeth accounted for up to 22% of perceived beauty.
While a perfect smile can look different from one culture to the next, the standard of having a complete set of straight teeth continues to prevail. The biggest reason for this may be the health issues associated with dental trends.
To truly embody beauty, your teeth shouldn’t just look great. They should work better, too. Consult your doctor about treatment options to optimise your teeth and bite. Ask about ClearCorrect aligners, which straighten teeth comfortably and discreetly. Embrace your roots and show off your style, but don’t forget to pay your dentist a visit along the way!
References:
Kotecha, S. D., Hedge, Y. D., Chaudhry, K., Yeluri, R., Masih, U., & Singh, C. (2016). Gold Enamel Choumps – A Case report. Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences
Nerawati, N. G. A. A. (2021). The Implementation Of Tooth-Filing (Potong Gigi) Ceremony During Nyekah. Jayapangus Press, 4(1), ISSN 2615-0913 (E).
Poon, R. X. M. (2018). The perfect smile – Part 4. British Dental Journal, 225(8), 698.
Ren, H., Chen, X., & Zhang, Y. (2021). Correlation between facial attractiveness and facial components assessed by laypersons and orthodontists. Journal of Dental Sciences, 16(1), 431–436.
Yadav, R., Yadav, A., Rai, R., Mahuja, M., & Solanki, S. (2016). Gold Tooth Tattoos: Identifying Features in Forensic Odontology. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 10(7), ZJ08–ZJ09.
