Zeda delves into the once-again popular sparkling tradition of tooth accessories, from grills to gems, exploring its origins, evolution and allure to the Irish scene.
In recent years, a trend of tooth accessorising in the form of gems and grills has been making waves in the realm of fashion, self-expression and the exploration of personal identity. Although this trend has popped up on the scene again seemingly out of nowhere, it’s definitely not new, just re-popularised and repackaged for the latest generation of people who love to stand out. Dazzling tooth accessories have captured the attention of celebrities, creatives, trendsetters and style enthusiasts alike and now the average person, offering a unique and temporary way to add a little razzle dazzle to one’s smile.
The practice of adorning teeth dates back thousands of years to ancient civilizations. Archaeological findings suggest that early humans used materials such as shells, stones and animal bones to decorate their teeth, as described by Gillian Morriss-Kay in an analysis of the evolution of human artistic creativity. In ancient Rome, gold bands in teeth were a sign of power and prestige – everything truly has been done before in some shape or form. Today, we are probably instead inspired by the early 2000s, with custom grill creator Dexter from Dentist Dexter remembering growing up, “seeing rap music videos with artists rocking their gold grills and showcasing their love of gold jewellery,” which led him to creating his brand in 2021, notably one of the first to offer the service in Ireland. Another inspiration which kept popping up in conversations with creators is the recent resurgence of the Y2K aesthetic, with Sintia Azubike from Gemmed Dublin reminiscing about tooth-gemmed pop stars.
Tooth gems and grills have emerged again as a viral sensation with clients from different backgrounds and varying ages flocking to adorn their smiles with eye-catching accessories. The trend has been fuelled by a desire for individuality. Plus, because it’s not permanent, it’s “not a massive change” to someone’s look, according to Angela Mulhern from Claddagh Gems. People are using them to elevate their self-confidence, explains Miri Duru from Thee Ice Fairy, who explains how most who are initially apprehensive on their first appointments “can’t stop smiling and showing off their gems” afterwards. Ola Adelakun from Jaffa Jewellers believes the popularity of the trend is because we want to explore different ways to show our personality, and more simply, “as people, we like nice things”.
From speaking to service providers, what is most interesting about all the processes was how set they are, each describing a somewhat standardised way of creating, but all with different outcomes that showcase the beauty of what they do.
