Baring bling
Tooth gems latest way to make smile sparkle
Here’s another way to put some sparkle in your smile — and it has nothing to do with toothpaste or whiteners.
Tooth gems — tiny crystals adhered to teeth — are having a moment, thanks to their popularity among rap music artists and other celebrities. People on the West Coast have been grinning and baring bling in their teeth for a while. Now the trend is catching on in Pittsburgh.
S-Spa of PGH in Greenfield expanded its salon services in the fall to include tooth gem application. Owner, stylist and educator Shayla Foreman went to Los Angeles last summer for training and to be certified through Tooth Kandy, the largest American tooth gem company.
On average, S-Spa completes five tooth gem-related appointments each week, she says.
“It’s starting to pick up. Once somebody sees somebody getting it done, they’re like, ‘Oh, I want that, too.’ ”
Here’s how it works: A Swarovski crystal or other design is applied with an adhesive. Depending upon the amount of adhesive used, gems can last one week or several months. The natural acidity of saliva can impact a tooth gem’s longevity by breaking down the bonding agent over time.
Application takes 20-30 minutes and clients are told to avoid eating and drinking for the first hour. They should stick with soft foods for at least 12 hours and skip the electric toothbrush for a day. And no matter how much you want to, don’t feel around it with your tongue at first.
Prices for a Swarovski crystal application at S-Spa start at about $50. Ms. Foreman also offers sterling silver, faux diamonds and real diamonds at a higher cost.
She’s one of the first to offer the service locally, although she’s heard of a couple other businesses, including a tattoo parlor, that do it. Ms. Foreman credits interest in tooth gems to celebrities like Beyonce, who recently sported an adidas logo on her tooth to promote her Ivy Park fashion line collaboration with the brand.
“I had someone reach out to me and say, ‘Do you think I could get an adidas sign?’ ”
Tooth jewelry can be traced back centuries. The Mayans were known to adorn teeth by embedding decorative stones in them. In the 1990s and early 2000s, grills — or decorative tooth coverings — were all the rage in rap music and hip-hop.
The procedure for applying tooth gems is relatively safe, but it’s important that it’s done correctly.
“My first concern is that there’s a lot of non-qualified people who are putting these on,” says Julius Manz, a dentist and director of the dental hygiene program at San Juan College in Farmington, N.M. “You can literally go on Amazon and buy these kits. That concerns me a lot.”
He says he’s also heard stories of people using improper adhesives, including super glue, to stick the gems on teeth.
“These are damaging to the enamel, particularly if they come off or they have to be removed,” he says. “I’ve seen a number of cases where the enamel underneath gets destroyed.”
There’s also the risk of choking on gems that were not applied correctly, he adds.
“There are two cases I know of where people were working out with weights and the gem came off, and they ended up breathing in the gem. These are going-tothe-emergency-room-type situations.”
He recommends having tooth gems applied by a dental professional. Some dentists may perform the service if a patient asks, he says. After they’re applied, it’s important to be extra diligent about brushing around gems to help prevent plaque buildup and decalcification. Dr. Manz says he has applied tooth gems.
“I have had some that have lasted many, many years,” he says. “It just takes a little bit of extra care.”