Black Teeth

Seeing someone with jet black teeth and a dark red crust on their gums for the first time is quite a shock.

We are so used to equating whiteness of teeth with good health and hygiene that its direct opposite is jarring. And yet, even this is merely cultural, a product of how we were raised. For generations and generations of southeast Asians, teeth darkened to a very dark red by chewing betelnut (a mix of areca nut and the Betel leaf) were considered the height of beauty and desirability.

Betelnut is a mild stimulant (like strong coffee) and, like chewing tobacco, involves a lot of spitting. Little red splatches everywhere are a telltale sign. On the 5 hour bus ride to Kengtung, for instance, our driver made me nervous by constantly taking his eyes off the winding mountain road to lean out the window and spit.

It’s possible that the practice started out as a means to protect the teeth from cavities, as it is true that the staining does produce a definite coating on the teeth. On the other hand, it’s also carcinogenic, increasing your risk of oral cancer ten-fold.

While the practice has died down in all but the most rural and remote areas of southeast Asia, it was once widespread. Imagine if chewing Betelnut had also caught on with the colonialists and imported back to Europe like smoking was: our beauty industry would certainly look vastly different.