Buckle up, we’re taking it back to the 90s where anything bling was a hell yes. Specifically tooth gems and grillz. In the past few years we’ve seen plenty of celebs show sparkly smiles on the red carpet, including Hailey Bieber, Katy Perry, and Adwoa Aboah to name a few. 

While the word ‘grillz’ might take your mind straight to Nelly’s infamous 2005 music video, teeth embellishments go waaaay back. They had a place in the early Mayan Empire, and it was a status symbol for Japanese aristocrats to blacken their teeth in a practice known as ohaguro. 

Y2k tooth jewelry has roots in modern Black history, such as the popularisation of gold teeth among 1970s West Indian communities in New York City, and later removable caps that evolved into the y2k bling aesthetic that we know and love today.

Getting your hands on custom grillz has never been easier, with companies like Gabby Elan Jewelry and Chai Beauty providing the coolest designs you’ve ever seen, and artists such as Juanita gaining recognition for their avant-garde designs that blur the line between form and function.  

If you decide that dental modifications are the one for you, remember to look after them in the necessary way. Stay safe, and flash those pearly whites! 

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