The Beauty of Black Teeth

At the Akha village, I noticed that most of the older adults had black teeth. I presumed this was due to the habit of chewing paan (easily noticed by the very red tongue, masticating, and occasional spitting). At the Hill Tribe museum back in Chiang Rai, I learned that this was a sign of beauty. The practice of dyeing one’s teeth black is quite old and is practiced in various parts of Asia. It actually helps prevent dental decay, similar to modern sealants.

For more information about the Akha, visit http://www.akha.org/

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