The Allure of Blackened Teeth: A Traditional Japanese Sign of Beauty

Ohaguro (which may be translated as ‘blackened teeth’) is a practice in which people (usually women) dye their teeth black. Whilst this custom is known to be practiced in different parts of the world, including Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and even South America, it is most commonly associated with Japan.

It is undeniable that traits deemed attractive and beautiful are often dictated by a society, and black teeth, until the end of the 19th century, was regarded as a sign of beauty in Japan. Nevertheless, blackened teeth were more than just a mark of beauty in Japanese society, and served other purposes as well.

A woman with teeth stained black by the practice of Ohaguro. (peterbrown-palaeoanthropology.net)

Dye Preparation

The traditional method for obtaining black teeth through the practice of Ohaguro involves the ingestion of a dye. First, iron fillings are soaked in tea or sake. When the iron oxidizes, the liquid would turn black. The taste of the dye is said to be harsh, hence spices such as cinnamon, cloves and anise, would be added to it. This dye would be drunk, causing the drinker’s teeth to turn black. 

In order to keep the teeth black, the process be repeated once a day or once every few days. The results seem to have been permanent, as there are skeletons from the Edo period whose teeth are still black due to the practice of Ohaguro.