Hip-hop has a thing for teeth. From grillz to diamond crowns to gold fronts, rappers and singers love flexing expensive smiles. Even Cardi B talks about spending a ton of money to fix her teeth on “Bodak Yellow.” While many of us are afraid of dental work, eventually you grow up and realize how dope a nice set of pearly whites is. Rappers take that concept to excessive and sometimes ridiculous levels. That’s why when Drake posted a photo of himself on instagram sporting a diamond tooth, it created the perfect storm of mockery. Hollywood Reporter mentioned “two tiny diamonds glinting from his front teeth” last year, but Instagram wasn’t ready. Drake + literally anything = some internet bullshit. As a Drake Investigator, I’m here for it.
Commenters quickly pointed out Drake’s jewel looked less like an impressive statement of wealth and more like a stray piece of spinach. Aubrey responded by asserting the spec was, in fact, a “pink diamond” and that he, indeed, keeps his teeth clean with “activated charcoal before any club night where [he] sees baddies…” His response was instantly meme’d and mocked.
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Still, I had so many questions, so I decided to bother my dentist during a checkup and ask about Drake’s diamond tooth. My dentist was pretty chill and actually agreed to help solve the mystery that is Drake. I’m calling my dentist Dr. F because apparently there are strict rules when it comes to dentists and media. That, or Dr. F is embarrassed to be a Drake fan. Understandable. Either way, he taught me about getting diamond teeth implants, the risks of activated charcoal and how to get baddies at the club with my teeth, like Drake.
How do I get a diamond implant like Drake?
Dr. F: There’s two methods you can get a diamond placed in or on your tooth. The first one, and it’s something I’ve seen done at tattoo parlors and beauty salons, is they take the stone and bond it directly on the surface of your tooth. The issue with that is it sticks out from the surface. It may feel uncomfortable on your lip or break off when you’re eating. The second way to do it is to actually drill a small divot in the tooth and bond the diamond in that way to be flush with the surface of the tooth. It’s going to look and feel better. It’s more durable and cooler.
Are there any risks?
If you’re drilling into your teeth, that’s irreversible. You’re removing good, healthy tooth for that.
While I have you, I got an electric toothbrush for Christmas. Is it worth using?
Absolutely. Electric toothbrushes give way more strokes per minute, so you’re getting a much better clean.
Thanks. What’s the best dental hygiene regime to attract—as Drake says—“baddies” at the club?
Brush and floss daily and have confidence in your smile.
How would you rate Drake’s diamond smile?
It’s a pretty nice looking diamond. I think for a guy of his stature though he could have gone a little bigger. I think he’s getting influenced from his time with Lil Wayne. I suppose you have to start small. Baby steps. There’s room to grow.
I’m glad you brought up Lil Wayne. I brought some some photos of other important hip-hop teeth. I know you’re busy but can you give your professional opinion and compare them to Drake’s teeth?
Okay.
Lil Wayne.
We should call this the gold standard or maybe the diamond standard of teeth bling. Lil Wayne goes all out with full coverage with teeth diamonds on the front teeth and the gold halo around them. It’s really a masterpiece.
Paul Wall.
Paul’s look, to me, takes a hit because they are grillz. Lil’s Wayne’s are crowns. If you’re going all in with crowns, you’re the real deal. Anyone can get grillz. Paul is trying to play the part.
Kanye.
Kanye has a classic smile here. I don’t think he’s had too much bling work done, but I did see a recent interview with Ellen, and I think he had a bit of work done. If I see that sparkle, I’m taking a closer look.
ODB.
I think ODB was going for Bond villain look here. I love the gold. That’s classic.
Danny Brown. This is before he got dental world.
Danny Brown reminds me of a hockey player here. I recommend a face visor for that kind of thing. I think Danny’s a good candidate for the grillz. It has the sparkle, but it would also provide a nice fill. Dental implants are another option.
Are you familiar with Cardi B?
No.
She talks about getting dental work in “Bodak Yellow.” How big of a “bag” does it take to fix your teeth? A bag as in money.
If you’re going full crowns, depends on the amount and quality of the diamond. I’m no geologist but the quality of diamonds can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. Normal full makeover, without diamonds, ust for the work, is around $30 to $40 thousand dollars. Especially if there are implants.
Drake says he uses “activated charcoal” to clean his teeth. Does that actually work?
Any product I recommend to my patients has to have been rigorously studied and approved by the dental associations—Canadian or American. I have to see reputable academic sources. There are a lot of fads out there, but unless it’s been studied thoroughly, that’s a no. Charcoal may whiten your teeth, but the concern I have is how abrasive it is. You could use sandpaper to whiten your teeth too, but could it also destroy your gum tissue and enamel?
What are some other trends in teeth cleaning we should know about and possibly sell to Drake?
One big one that’s up for debate right now is called oil pulling. You take sunflower or coconut oil and swish it around in your mouth. It’s purported to remove bacteria, but unless we’ve seen long term studies on that, it’s not something your dentist is going to recommend. Brush and floss daily. Tried and tested.
What is the next teeth related trend in hip-hop that you want to see?
I guess the only thing left is to hang gold chains from your molars, spinners on the front and maybe get a few LCD screens in there. Maybe Xzibit could get involved. But it’s not something I can professionally recommend.
Devin Pacholik flosses daily. Follow him on Twitter.