In today’s society, we view the “ideal” for teeth to be straight, white and perfectly shaped. People with “perfect” teeth are viewed as more successful, more charismatic and approachable. This is not the case throughout the rest of the world. Here are five unusual teeth trends that may have you scratching your head.

Gold

We all fondly remember the age of the Grillz. Before people opted for the natural look, patients were requesting their teeth be encrusted with gold and jewels. Designed to show wealth, this trend took off in the music industry and emanated throughout the country. Thankfully, the majority of the population recognized this as a trend and wore removable grills instead of permanently bedazzling their teeth.

Black Teeth

In our culture, black teeth represent a lack of hygiene and nutrition. In Vietnam, it’s viewed as beautiful. The origin of this trend apparently comes from old folk songs and requires “blackening” treatments the same way people in the United States get their teeth whitened. People also apply lacquer to their black teeth to increase their shine.

Snaggleteeth

Believe it or not, women in Japan, in an attempt to look more youthful, are using cosmetic dentistry practices to give themselves the appearance of crooked, discoloured teeth. The good news is that their perfect, functional teeth remain underneath, meaning they can still bite and chew correctly. However, recipients of this procedure do run the risk of developing a lisp.

Vampire Fangs

With the popularity of shows and movies like The Vampire Diaries and Twilight, it’s not surprising that this trend took off in the US. The procedure involves elongating and sharpening the canines using temporary bonding or capping procedures. Luckily, this type of cosmetic dentistry is easily removable for when the next trend comes along.

London Gap

International models have introduced a new trend to the dental scene in the last decade or so – the London Gap. This slight gap between the top two front teeth gives the impression of a childlike quirkiness. Some professionals in the fashion industry speculate that the trend took off because women are sick of seeing such perfect uniformity in the media. This procedure requires the teeth to be filed down, revealing a gap between them.