MILLION DOLLAR MOUTH

words by Isabella Ortiz

How far would you go for an aesthetic?

“Somebody used a very cheap bond—probably a bond that wasn’t even supposed to be put on the inside of a mouth —and it started to brown,” Susie Juray told The New York Times in 2019.

Juray rushed the woman to a dentist to remove the material.

“Some of it did come off. Some of it didn’t, and so there was damage to her tooth,” she states.

Juray is the founder of Tooth Kandy, a Los Angeles based tooth gem retailer. Tooth gems—small, delicate jewels that can be bonded to your front teeth to create a unique, attention-grabbing look— have seen a resurgence in popularity over the last two years after gaining attention on Pinterest and TikTok.

Yet Juray has witnessed many mishaps regarding self-application tooth gems, begging the question: is looking cool worth potentially ruining your teeth?

In 2022, Pinterest’s annual report on trends, “Pinterest Predicts,” reported that searches for “tooth gems” had increased 85% over the previous year. In 2021, the hashtag ‘tooth gems' reached 130.4 million on Pinterest. But many young people have taken the application into their own hands and have bought kits online, increasing the risk of permanent damage.

“If you’ve got worn-away enamel from grinding your teeth or eating too many acidic foods, there will likely be sensitivity,” Dentist Michael Apa tells Allure.

Although it is not recommended by many dentists to not apply tooth gems at home, many young people are going to fall into the desire of wanting tooth gems quickly and easily.

When done right, they can make your smile look like a million dollars.

“I noticed tooth gems on social media. It was coming up a lot within different reels and TikTok’s or just posts from influencers I followed,” says Ali Reed, a 20 year LIM College student. “The peak was around quarantine, and I decided to get mine in September of 2021 and loved it.”

No doubt, tooth gems can look cool, but they shouldn’t be taken lightly because they pose a threat to tooth enamel.The adhesive that is used to apply the gem can cause the enamel to wear away and increase the chances of tooth decay.

According to Miracle Smile Dentistry, tooth gems are designed to last anywhere from six months to a year. This is a long time to leave a foreign object covering a tooth, making it impossible to brush properly.

When Ali got her tooth gem at Tooth Charm in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, she found the procedure to be quick and easy. The glue is the same used to apply fillings or a crown, which made it a more familiar experience.

“You pick your gem and then they put dental glue on it,” she says. “They put the blue light on your tooth, and you have to hold open with a mouth guard and sit for 30 seconds and then you're good to go.”

Ali only experienced a minor complication.

“The only problem I ever had with mine was whenever I'd go to where my retainer would not fit anymore, so I'd end up getting bloody gums or I couldn't wear my retainer for those eight months,” she says. For Ali, it was worth it.

“It was really fun. I think if I wasn't wearing makeup or I was dressed down it looked a little off but I got so many compliments on it when I had it so I felt like it really heightened my confidence for the time that I did have it on,” she says.

There are two types of tooth gem applications: semi-permanent and permanent. The semi-permanent application involves no drilling. The application is similar to applying braces: an acidic solution also known as etching gel is applied to the tooth’s surface which roughens the enamel microscopically.

The gem is then bonded using an adhesive and a curing lamp. The procedure is painless and only takes up to a few minutes if they are being bonded to healthy teeth. The removal process is quite simple; they will fall out in time.

Permanent tooth gems require drilling a hole into the tooth and the gem is placed inside.

New trends will always find their way into media culture, so finding ways to balance what is harmful to your well-being is key.

Places like Tooth Kandy offer “a certification process for potential employees, also known as ‘tooth fairies.’ For $3,500, the customer receives a one-on-one training session which includes company guidelines, safety protocol, marketing tips and a complete tooth gem starter kit.”

Though the “add to cart” option on Amazon is always enticing, if you’re curius about tooth gems, make sure you work with a professional.

Is ‘Prime’ shipping worth your smile?