In Thailand fake 'fashion' braces are being worn by teenagers without a need for orthodontic treatment, as fixed appliance therapy is seen as expensive and 'cool'.
In Senegal and other parts of West Africa, women are having their gums permanently (and painfully) dyed black, as darker gums are deemed a sign of beauty.
Twigs from the Salvadora persica (arak) tree are used by Arab Bedouin tribes to clean their teeth. Miswak sticks, as they are known, contain antiseptic properties.
A craze for LED mouthguard-esque inserts has taken off in Japan to make your smile literally light up the room, advertised as a 'party in your mouth'.
In Australia, Aboriginal holy men pierce their tongues as a way to take evil spirits out of the body.
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Around the world. Br Dent J 216, 382 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.286
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.286