The tough economy has people taking drastic measures to pay the bills these days.

While some have been pawning off old coins or jewelry, others are apparently opening their mouths and saying "ahh".

Angel Gamble says times are tough, so with gold prices as high as they are she's been pawning off a little jewelry here and there to help make ends meet.

"It worked out pretty good for me,” said Gamble.

But Angel's most valuable asset may literally be right under her nose … in her mouth — two gold teeth.

"Would I take them out and trade them in? No! They're my inheritance. No, I don't think I would ever come to that point," said Gamble.

But for a growing number of people it has come to that point.

Instead of flashing that ‘grill,’ they're cashing it in. Sometimes getting as much as $50 for those precious-metal molars.

"We're amazed, but it's part of the business," said Ralph DeSantis, who operates the EZ Cash Pawn Shop in West Palm Beach. He says a couple of years ago you'd have never seen such a thing.

But now?

"Now it's a little more frequent than it was two years ago, there's no question about that," said DeSantis.

On the streets, plenty of people are still keeping their money where their mouth is.

Willie Williams says giving up his grill would be a last resort — and you'd have to give him more than $50.

"I spent more money getting them. I spent like $150 or $200 for them so they'd have to give me more money to take them off,” said Williams.

But DeSantis says from his side of the counter that more people may soon be willing to pawn that million dollar smile for a lot less.

The economy is clearly taking a bite out of people's wallets to the point of dental desperation.