[Jon]

Why do so many black people seem to have, at least here in this section of Florida, at least one gold tooth? Is there any significance to it?

User Detail :  

Name : Jon, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 60, City : Ocala, State : FL, Country : United States, Occupation : Retired, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Anonymous23734]

It’s just a fashion statement. And believe me, it’s not just in Florida.

User Detail :  

Name : Anonymous23734, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, City : Anon, State : SC, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Coquinegra]

I suspect it is a class thing. professional AfrAms do not generally have gold teeth, but they are prevalent among people who have roots in the lower and lower middle class.

User Detail :  

Name : Coquinegra, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 39, City : DC Suburbs, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : college professor, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Kali26986]

Basically they’re worn for cosmetic purposes. Here up north no one wears them that’s a down south fashion, I suppose it marks them a ‘Pimp’ or something like that. Up here they wear expensive chains, watches, name brand jeans like Sean Jean, $430 jerseys, Timberland boots, so on and so forth.

User Detail :  

Name : Kali26986, City : Willingboro, State : NJ, Country : United States, 

[Andrew Robinson]

Let me just tell you first of all black people are very flamboyant(especially in the south). Why do you ask,its because blacks aren’t use to having money like that. So now since they have money they like to show it off.

User Detail :  

Name : Andrew Robinson, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 18, City : Upper Darby, State : PA, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[ChristalClarity]

I believe it is a regional fashion statement. My mother and father are from Alabama and they both had a gold tooth (1950’s). Fashion statements re-cycle and so it is time for the gold tooth again. It is more prevalent in the South. CDH

User Detail :  

Name : ChristalClarity, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Catholic, Age : 53, City : Cleveland, State : OH, Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Brenda]

I don’t know the significance of it or even if there is any, but I believe most of the people you’re seeing or at least here in my area, are mostly ‘fronts.’ ‘Fronts’ are something that can be slipped on top of your teeth and is not permanently in place.

User Detail :  

Name : Brenda, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 51, City : Richmond, State : VA, Country : United States, 

[Jacqui21041]

It seems that the South really is slower. Many low-income people up here fortunately let that trend go many years ago, along with jheri curls.

User Detail :  

Name : Jacqui21041, City : Phila, State : PA, Country : United States, 

[blaze23092]

blacks from the south usually have gold tooth, if you go to the east or west, you would not see any black guys with gold tooth.

User Detail :  

Name : blaze23092, City : bristol, State : PA, Country : United States, 

[Your-Sister]

There is no real reason. It is just a display of status and wealth. Some people may not have this wealth but want to portray they do. And it is also a style preference that orginated in rap music. Some people like to wear gold earrings, some like to wear gold teeth.

User Detail :  

Name : Your-Sister, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 19, City : Los Angeles, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : STUDENT, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ebony]

Bad taste. It’s more or less a fasion statement. i believe it’s more popular in the south than it is in the north.And with the exception of famous rappers it’s more common among poor, less educated blacks than it is among working college educated blacks.

User Detail :  

Name : Ebony, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, 

[taquasia27412]

no it does not have a significance. it is just something to do, rappers do it why shouldn’t we and anyway why do you not have one. Now put that in your pipe and smoke it.

User Detail :  

Name : taquasia27412, Race : Black/African American, Age : 27, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, 

[Joe30603]

I am a black male living in the same area and have wondered the same thing. The only thing I can attribute it to is ‘social status’. I know that seems strange, but these teeth historically were expensive. Especially when diamonds were set in them. As I stated earlier, I have noticed it and do not understand it. The ‘social status’ theory is simply speculation based on my observations.

User Detail :  

Name : Joe30603, City : Jacksonville, State : FL, Country : United States, 

[Richard-Popielarz]

It must be a status symbol. About 14 years ago, I once encountered a Russian woman on a tram (trolley car) in Warsaw, Poland. She asked me for directions to the main railway station since she was going back home to Moscow. After I gave her the directions, she thanked me and smiled back revealing a whole mouthful of gold-capped teeth. Back then, the Russians could buy very little in their Communist economy with their rubles, but gold was a status symbol and an investment. What safer way is there than to have the gold in your mouth from which it is so hard for a thief to steal? Maybe the Blacks are thinking along the same lines regardless of how tacky it might look?

User Detail :  

Name : Richard-Popielarz, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Catholic, Age : 43, City : Philadelphia, State : PA, Country : United States, Occupation : Social Worker, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Paul30463]

LOL….No significance at all. What you’re witnessing in your part of Florida is the ‘ghetto- African American’. If you step out of that area into a more affluent section of town, you’ll find the black people there will have no part of gold teeth. Just as white people in an affluent section of town will have no part of missing teeth and chewing tobacco.

User Detail :  

Name : Paul30463, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 32, City : Atlanta, State : GA, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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