Grillz 101: From Street Culture to Fashion-Forward

We’ve all seen bejeweled, bedazzled, and blinged-out teeth. From gold to diamonds, small to large, grillz are a staple in different subcultures, an essential piece of history that still shines to this day. But what are they, and where did they come from? In this article, I will give you a comprehensive guide—Welcome to Grillz 101.

Singularly referred to as ‘grill,’ grillz are defined as jewelry for teeth or a way to dress up one’s smile in the same way rings accessorize fingers and necklaces accentuate necks. Though they’re commonly associated with hip-hop culture, they have roots in early-century Italy with the Etruscans, where there have been anthropological findings of teeth that have gold wiring on them. Though it’s impossible to tell what they’re for exactly, these early-era grillz seemed to have many of the same purposes that modern-day grillz had in the early 2000s: to show money and status. Some places worldwide have historically created molds and used highly regarded gems important to various cultures to decorate their teeth. Etruscans are just the earliest we can find.

Image Courtesy: Barbara Vaz

Fast forward to the 70s, grillz became vastly popular throughout Black neighborhoods in New York. This popularity started due to the dental practice of replacing teeth with gold stand-ins. At the time, there were plenty of financial issues in Jamaica, so using gold for teeth was a common practice. A little after the 70s, there was a large migration from Jamaica to New York, and those individuals brought their gold teeth along with them—directly leading to the popularization of the method in those Black neighborhoods. Soon, people used this gold as a fashion statement, showing off wealth and success. 

What fully cemented the change from dental substitute to fashion must-have was the iconic 1975 feature of disco queen Grace Jones wearing a full gold grill on her Vogue Hommes feature, marking the official-non-official debut of grillz to the fashion world. As a result, through the 80s and 90s, grillz became the fashion of the time, being featured on rappers and other seminal figures in hip-hop culture. Grillz transformed from being one to two-teeth accentuators to being full-blown diamonds and rubies and emeralds—some were even molded to resemble vampire fangs! 

Image Courtesy: Stretto Blaster

Grillz have gotten more popular, more elaborate, and more inclusive. In 2020, there was a rise of younger people and people of different races employing grillz or bedazzling teeth as a fashion statement, and they've only gotten more popular. Grillz have become popular among influencers and other fashion mavens, also making strides in the fashion world, gracing runways and designer photo shoots. Each individual’s grillz has a different significance to them. Some use it for fashion, some to show off their wealth and status, and some to reconnect with their cultural roots. Some people are as creative with their grillz as they are with their nails, hair, and clothes. Elaborate and important, people's passion for this type of jewelry can’t be understated. 

Image Courtesy: Pinterest

Learning about pieces of culture is always a worthwhile experience, especially if you engage in that culture’s fashion practices. Whether you want to superglue a gem to your canine teeth (please don’t do this; there are proper ways to get teeth jewelry) or spend thousands of dollars on a pure diamond set of grillz, there’s a way to sparkle up your smile in a way that would make you stand out from the rest. 

Strike Out,

Author: Samantha Getchell

Editor: Dani Hernandez 

Tallahassee