Tracing dental horror in contemporary American cinema

Abstract

Horrific scenes of dental torture, as well as dental loss and decay, hold a viscerally disturbing quality. Focusing on human teeth – whether deciduous or permanent – I argue that dental horror has been pervasive in horror cinema, albeit seldom used as a central theme. In particular, American narratives touching upon teeth encompass meanings related to power and aesthetics, strongly connected to moral values and human integrity – and consequently to notions of decay, powerlessness and traumatic transformation. To foreground dental horror in American cinema, this article develops an original model of analysis, tracing three main themes that shape dental horror: dental violence (including dentistry and dental torture), dental disease and decay, and the legacy of the Tooth Fairy folk tale.