Fashion trends often linger and change over time; gold teeth have long been used as status symbols that communicate wealth by simply smiling.
But what drove the popularity of gold grillz? In this blog post we’ll examine its rise and why this trend remains relevant today.
Origins
Gold jewelry, especially the type seen on Kendal Jenner and Black partygoers in pre-gentrified Brooklyn, has seen its time in pop culture. But embellishing one’s teeth with golden inlays or full-on grills has a long and rich history–it isn’t exclusive to rappers!
People have been altering their teeth with gold for millennia – this practice, commonly referred to as “gold work,” was common practice across many parts of the globe.
West Indian immigrants first settled in New York City during the 1970s, bringing with them golden tooth caps known as “gold fronts.” By the early 1980s, street vendors like Eddie Plein and Johnny Dang began adapting dental crowns for multiple teeth at once to form what we now refer to as gold grills or sets of gold teeth – becoming popular among rappers who wore them as an expression of street cred and hood pride.
Symbolism
Gold teeth (commonly referred to as grillz) have long been seen as a symbol of wealth and status. People have used precious metal to replace worn out or damaged teeth with the precious metal, with Caribbean immigrants opting for this approach over more conventional dental procedures.
Over time, gold teeth have seen their popularity fluctuate. Now more than ever before, they serve more as fashion statements and can often be found adorning rappers, celebrities, and influencers’ mouths.
Gold teeth may seem like an easy fashion trend to embrace, but their significance goes deeper. Wearing gold teeth serves as an incredible statement about rebellion against social inequality; reminding both themselves and those around them that their success came through hard work in spite of economic hardship – an invaluable reminder in an age marked by mass inequality and division.
Hip-Hop Culture
Hip hop emerged at society’s peripheries and its artists pushed the limits of artistic expression to their fullest. Graffiti writing became one of these frontiers; using blank walls and subway tunnels as canvases to bring them alive with life in terms of complexity, color and texture.
MCs (or emcees), also known as master storytellers (storytellers), weave complex tales in rhythm and rhyme that translate seamlessly to literary forms such as poetry, short stories, novels, scripts or even comic book-style graphic novels. Many of their works depict urban reality while offering social commentary.
Gold teeth have long been part of Black creativity, signalling its unbridled expression whether in words or visual art. Wearing one signifies one is hip and stands out from the crowd; gold grins speak the language of wealth which has caught on among fashion industry insiders.
Conclusions
Gold teeth (or grillz) have become a fashion trend in some cultures. Rappers and celebrities often sport these flashy adornments as a symbol of wealth; however, they may also serve as an expressive statement. Unfortunately, getting gold dental grillz can be risky and costly; instead it might be better to visit a dentist to get porcelain restorations instead.
Though dental grills make for fashionable statement pieces, porcelain crowns are far superior when it comes to tooth restoration. Dental professionals recommend porcelain because its durability and natural appearance make it less likely to lead to decay and other oral health problems.
Gold teeth may cause health complications if you’re allergic, so before getting one implanted or filled it is wise to undergo an allergy skin test. For further inquiries contact Vaughan family dental services for more details.