Dark Smile

Did you know that in Japan up until the late 1800s, people would use black dye made from iron to darken their teeth? It might sound bizarre to us today, but at the time, it was considered a sign of beauty and sophistication. It was also seen as a way to indicate wealth and status, as only those who could afford the expensive black dye were able to partake in the practice.

While ohaguro may seem strange to us today, it’s a reminder that beauty standards are culturally specific and can vary widely from one society to another. It’s also worth noting that practices that were once considered fashionable or even necessary can seem bizarre or even harmful to us with the benefit of hindsight.