UNEXPECTEDLY, archaeologists have proven that the Vietnamese blackened their teeth 2000 years ago—and it was a beauty trend 🖤.
Archaeologists have found the world's oldest evidence of tooth blackening in an Iron Age burial site in Dong Sa, northern Vietnam.
What we found:
The find is 2000 years old. Previously, it was thought that the tradition only emerged in the 19th century—a 2000-year error.
High concentrations of iron and sulfur on the enamel are NOT a side effect of chewing betel nut (it stains it brown), but a deliberate application of a complex paste.
How it was done:
They used a complex paste: iron salts + plant tannins (galangal, pomegranate peel) → heated → applied for several weeks → polished with ash. Scientists recreated the process on a modern animal tooth—the result was a 100% match to the original.
Now:
The tradition is still alive among some ethnic groups in northern Vietnam. Girls begin blackening their teeth at age 13 before marriage—a mandatory procedure. It is considered a symbol of sophistication, beauty, and cultural conformity.
While the whole world is obsessed with a snow-white smile and whitening, the Vietnamese have been doing exactly the opposite for 2000 years – and this was the ideal.
