Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.

A new fashion trend is taking over social media in China, where young people are getting ‘tooth tattoos’ — designs engraved onto dental caps that are later fitted onto their teeth

Messages like “get rich” and “ensure success”, along with lovers’ names and lucky numbers, are popular choices for the unique customisation.

The trend is being fuelled by dental institutions across the country, which are reportedly offering the engraving service for free as an add-on to attract customers for dental crowns, according to South China Morning Post.

According to a report by Shangyou News, a large private hospital in Guangdong province advertises that its 3D-printed crowns are made of “aerospace materials”

A staff member was quoted as saying, “Many customers flock to our institutions to have things they like engraved. This technology is quite mature now.”

The procedure for a crown costs around 2,000 yuan (about RM1,200).

However, a dentist from a hospital in Shanghai warned against the practice

“The crown will be damaged more or less. Its strength will be impaired. I do not recommend patients to adopt the inscription on their crown,” the dentist said.

Some users have also turned to temporary tooth stickers for a less permanent look, but online reactions remain mixed, with one commenter calling the trend “disgusting”.