When did black began wearing gold teeth?

Answer 1

gold teeth go back thousands of year specifically in Africa and south America. gold teeth have always been for decoration or an alternative to removing teeth. blacks in America began using gold teeth in the 1900s for dental reasons as they had little access to adiquite dental and medical car. It also began to become a status sysmbol for poor people and picked up popularity in the 80s with the hiphop culture

consider this, when slaves arrived in the US which was in the mid 1700's as property it was a custom that the slave seller and buyer check the teeth as a means to determine their over all health. no different than when one check a livestock teeth and especially horses. they would also check the scalp and these practices continued through the early years at Ellis Island. It was what they knew to do and medical test were not available. Teeth were very important as you needed them as a slave, you needed them to eat, and they were the only thing that was yours until death. gold was first used as a malable metal that would maintain its shape yet be strong enough to be shaped as a denture apperatous. As time progressed they realized it could be a symbol of wealth or success by having a mouth of gold teeth. then coming out of the first panic after the civil war and for sometime thereafter whites would dig up black cemetaries as a means to get the gold teeth. When you are dead they are no use to you any longer. As the 50ties rolled around this practice began to deminish. As for rappers well they have no taste and I am not sure they could read the historical account. but at $1400 per ounce I would not walk around with gold teeth rapper or not.