Why do Balinese people have their teeth filed?

Unlike the western version of Dracula, the procedure of tooth filing in Bali is still being practised to diminish the savage characteristic known as “Sad Ripu”: greed, lust, anger, confusion, stupidity, jealousy, ill-will, etc. This ceremony is called “metatah” or “mepandes” which means to chisel/ carve.

Why do Indonesians file their teeth?

In the main ritual, the participants are asked to lie down, open their mouth and showing their teeth. The feeling ceremony of the six teeth is a symbol of filing six human natures which are considered as enemy of human being.

What is Bali Metatah?

Metatah is an important ceremony in Balinese Hindu tradition. It is a passage to adulthood that symbolized by a procession of smoothing six upper teeth using a special tool by a Pedanda (holy priest).

What is tooth filling in Indonesia?

For every Hindu in Bali, the tooth-filing ceremony (potong gigi in Indonesian or mesangih or mepandes in Balinese) is a rite of passage for teenagers, one of several coming-of-age ceremonies.

Does tooth filling hurt?

Q: Is it painful to have cavity fillings? No. Your dentist will numb the area and use a numbing gel before injecting a local anesthetic known as Lidocaine. You may feel a bit of a sting, but that’s a reaction from the local anesthetic when it starts to block the nerve signals to stop the pain.

Can you have teeth filed?

We use paper disks to file your teeth into shape. This treatment involves careful sculpting of the enamel which is perfectly safe and completely pain free. Not unlike filing your nails into shape. And the results can be amazing.

What culture filed their teeth?

In the Indonesian population of Bali, there is a sacred religious practice in which the maxillary front teeth are filed for the purpose of refraining from evil lust.

What is mepandes ceremony?

One of the Balinese ceremonies that attract both domestic and international tourists is teeth filing ritual which is called metatah/mepandes/mesangih. This is actually a rite to remove the sharp edges of the canine teeth which symbolize the bad side of a person.

Where is mepandes?

Bali
Potong gigi, also known as mesangih or mepandes, is a form of ritual body modification of adolescents, typically teenagers, in parts of Bali that involves the filing of the canine teeth.

How can I file my own teeth?

No, you cannot safely file your teeth yourself, and nor should you try. If you try to shave your teeth at home, you could end up damaging your tooth’s enamel, which can cause other problems. Just some of these problems include sensitivity and pain and an increased risk of decay and infection.

Do fillings last forever?

A filling is used to treat an area of decay. It stops it from spreading and restores the tooth’s strength. Although a filling will last for several years, it won’t last forever.