It is possible to meet in the countryside of Vietnam especially in the North, women with jovial smile and teeth stained in black.

This technique of blackening of teeth or "teeth lacquering" is an ancient custom widespread in Asia ( Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines etc...).

In Vietnam, this custom dated back to the 2nd millennium B.C..
It concerns most North and Central Vietnamese who by nature are more traditional than South Vietnamese and certain minorities in mountain regions.

The principle of teeth lacquering remains identical and composed of two phases: teeth scouring and varnishing.
But the methods used, mainly the colors and the products are specific and characteristic of each people.

In Vietnam, the maintenance of lacquer is essential every 2 or 3 years. In Vietnam, besides its aesthetic qualities, teeth lacquering is also used for prophylactic purposes against tooth decay.

This custom is not as widespread now in Vietnam because people know that the products they used are toxic and that teeth blackening is irreversible, which discourages young people.