The latest trend to bling out your smile: tooth gems

Do you remember grills? Well, they’ve been replaced with the latest fad for your teeth: tooth gems! But, are they dentist-approved or dangerous to your dental health?

A smile can be your best accessory – but some young people are going above and beyond and getting sparkly gems glued to their teeth. But why?

“It’s just a big feature people will see, and I really like my own smile too,” said Kalkidan Tafesse, a client getting her gem applied at a home studio in Edmonton, “It’s just a little something to add to it.”

Glenn Omwega, another client of Iced Out By Alexa, said proudly, “A tooth gem is the ultimate accessory – it’s on your face, and it looks really cool.”

Alexa Kayembe, the tooth gem technician and artist behind Iced Out By Alexa, says she was inspired to start her business back in 2020 seeing tooth gems blow up on TikTok. Now she sees a lot of clients in their twenties.

“A lot of them come to me and they’re like, ‘I’m tired of changing my hair colour,’ or ‘I don’t want a new tattoo, but I want to do something else to express myself,’” said Kayembe. “Tooth gems are perfect because it’s reversible.”

She says tooth gems can last for 6-8 months if not longer. The gem is stuck onto the tooth through an adhesive similar to those used for braces, which will come off in time. How to make them stay on?

“Keeping up good dental hygiene, you do have to be mindful of what you eat but you can still live your life – I’ve had my gems in since last year so it’s not too hectic,” said Kayembe.

But what do dentists think of all this? Is this dentist-approved?

The College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta gave a statement saying: “Tooth gems are purely an accessory and offer no benefits to oral health. In fact, tooth gems can trap plaque and stray food particles creating opportunities for harmful bacteria to grow. Before a tooth gem is applied it is highly recommended that you speak to your dentist about the placement, possible risks, and proper care required.”

So it’s up to you whether you decide to jump on this latest trend, but you’ll probably want to consult your dentist first.