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In the 16th century, black teeth were in fashion

2024-08-14 10:20:00, Blog Andrei Tapalaga

During the 16th century in medieval Japan, wealthy married women embraced a unique trend known as ohaguro, which involved tanning their teeth. This practice was not just a passing fad, but a symbol of status and beauty. The method was fairly straightforward: iron fillings were soaked in tea or sake, causing them to oxidize and boil.

Contrary to modern standards of beauty, having black teeth was considered highly desirable. This aesthetic was believed to enhance a woman's appearance, representing unity within marriage and fidelity to her husband.

In the Victorian era

Back then, black teeth were a sign of beauty, and here's why. Sugar, a luxury at the time, was a symbol of wealth. Only the rich could indulge in this expensive import, leading to tooth decay. Surprisingly, these decayed and blackened teeth became a status symbol. What we might consider poor dental hygiene now was a display of wealth back then.

Interestingly, clean and white teeth were associated with the less wealthy, who could not afford such extravagances as sugar. This inverse relationship between the appearance of teeth and social status shaped the beauty standards of the time, with blackened teeth admired as a sign of wealth and privilege.

Conversely, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who could not afford sugar or the subsequent dental problems it often caused had relatively healthier and whiter teeth. As a result, pristine white teeth became associated with poverty or lower social status.

Background

Tooth staining, also known as tooth varnish, has been a widespread custom in various cultures in Southeast Asia, Oceania, and parts of Japan and India. This practice was common among Austronesian, Austroasiatic and Kra-Dai peoples. Even in the Americas, groups such as the Shuar people of northern Peru and Ecuador practiced blackening their teeth.

Typically, during puberty, the darkening of the teeth was considered a symbol of maturity, beauty and civilization. It was believed to distinguish humans from animals. Often performed alongside tooth sharpening, dental evulsion, and other forms of body modification such as tattooing, tooth tanning had significant cultural significance.

Early European explorers and colonists viewed tanning and filling teeth with a mixture of fascination and disapproval, highlighting the cultural divide between different societies' beauty standards and traditions./ Adapted from CNA