There's a new craze in town called the "tooth tattoo," but Chinese medical experts say it can be harmful to people.

The craze originally started in Japan and gained popularity in the United States, where young Americans inscribe their enamels with images of their favorite pop stars, skulls and personal signs of love.

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In Shanghai the craze is very evident; youths are now looking for similar services from cosmetic surgeons in the area.

"We've received calls and visits from young people seeking tooth tattoos," Xu Beihua, president of a local cosmetic hospital in China, said on Shanghai Daily.

According to Xu, the procedure is not difficult but there are risks such as allergies and tooth damage.

Tooth tattoos can either be temporary or permanent and can also be done by skin tattoo artists.

Temporary tattoos are just stick-ons similar to nail art and generally used for a single tooth; in permanent tattoos, a tooth is ground for fabrication of the cap or crown using a drill.

The dentist will then make an impression of the tooth, which will be photographed and sent to a tattoo artist for designing.

Dentists advise that patients who have decayed teeth or has a tendency for tooth decay should not undergo this procedure.

Some people who had their teeth tattooed said that the procedure wasn't painful at all; their dentist only instruct them to be more attentive to the tattooed tooth and to have regular dental checkups.

Tattoo artists, on the other hand, suggest to youngsters to go to artists with at least nine years of experience because the tooth tattoo machine is different from a regular tattoo machine.

The artist must know the right number of vibrations that the tattoo machine should produce on the teeth, as human teeth can be very brittle.