We’ve all seen glow-in-the-dark t-shirts, little kids shoes that light up when they walk, and even belts with flashing lights on them. But teeth that light up? Two designers in Japan are doing just that to advertise a winter sale at their clothing store, Laforet Harajuku.
Now, we’re not just talking about those 25 cent plastic vampire fangs that you can get at Halloween that are supposed to glow in the dark. These “fronts” contain light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that you affix to your teeth which then glow and blink in different colors when you open your mouth. In fact, the LED mouthpiece is so bright that it can be seen glowing even with your mouth closed. What a great addition to the holiday festivities!
Their ad campaign features a group of girls walking around a city in the dark, wearing these LED mouthpiece filled smiles and acting as if nothing were strange. Frankly, it’s kind of creepy, like a pack of robots slowly coming towards you. The mouthpieces are also a little cumbersome, because you still have to carry a type of battery pack that is attached by wires that hang out of the side of your mouth.
For now, the technology is not commercially available, and the designers, Motoi Ishibashi and Daito Manabe, say they have no plans to make them so at this time. Further testing will have to be done before they can be sold on a large scale, and they will have to prove that the mouthpieces are not harmful to your teeth or general health in any way. Maybe someday you too can have light-up teeth!
In the mean time, Dr. Miller and her team at Discovery Dental in Shelby have several teeth whitening options that are more readily available, and more practical than an LED mouthpiece. So, contact us today and we can help you decide which plan to brighten your smile is the best fit for you!
