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They ARE that bad. Anecdata perhaps, but come on - Americans really do have whiter teeth. At least the "privileged class" does. Downvote me to hell if you like

They ARE that bad. Anecdata perhaps, but come on - Americans really do have whiter teeth. At least the "privileged class" does. Downvote me to hell if you like still, I have lived both in UK and US for a decade and yes it is true, British teeth are nearly as bad as Japanese teeth (who don't use any flouride in their toothpaste, and it shows by the age of 40 or 50)

k-mcgrady 11y ago
Is whiteness really a good indicator?? My teeth aren't particular white but 25 years and I've never had any work needed on them. I know plenty of people with really white teeth who have had more fillings than I can count.
- paulddraper 11y ago
  Anecdotally, I'd say there's a correlation, but I too know plenty of counterexamples.
noja 11y ago
Hollywood white teeth == healthy?! How? To me they look bizarre, do normal Americans really have teeth like that? (serious question)
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- swozey 11y ago
  I'm an American with $10k or so into Orthodontia to make my teeth straight (I had gaps that were a big self-confidence issue for me) but no, seeing someone with insanely bleached white teeth definitely stands out in my head and always looks strange to me. I think there is a pretty big line between Hollywood White and Smoker Yellow. To give a perspective, if it's needed, when I was in middle school (6th-8th) just about every single one of my friends at that point had either had, or was currently wearing braces of some sort. I've now had braces 3 times (Invisalign actually) because my teeth won't stop moving. If I go a few days without wearing a retainer (I wear it nightly) they look different. A month or two without (I've lost the retainer before) and I'm going for round 4. Not sure if this is a genetic thing, or what, my cousins and sister have had the same thing happen, but I know plenty of other people who have never worn their retainers and barely had any movement.
  - ahoy 11y ago
    "Braces" culture is interesting. I grew up in the rural southeast of the US, and while braces weren't unheard of they were uncommon. I have friends from new england who reported the opposite - most children, even those from poorer families, had braces.
    - swozey 11y ago
      Driving to the orthodontist was a major pain for my parents, so maybe that had something to do with it. They had to take off work early, pick me up at school, take me to the Ortho and wait around for an hour while the braces were aligned - EVERY month. I'd imagine it's even more of a pain for those in rural areas who have less options. The orthos next to schools made out like bandits. But my parents were also Military, so maybe that's just my experience.
- zyxley 11y ago
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECgQjZYAGqs#t=9m49s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECgQjZYAGqs#t=9m49s
louthy 11y ago
As a British person I find the joke quite amusing, and it's always something that's commented on when I'm in the states ("your teeth are pretty good for a brit", that kind of thing). I think on the whole it shows a gap in expectations between the US and the UK. As nations we have a different view of what is 'normal'. I often think that my US friends look like they're wearing dentures, because their teeth are (in my eyes) unnaturally perfect. They look strange to me. If as a nation you expect that level of perfection in teeth, then everybody else who has 'natural' teeth are going to appear to have bad teeth. It's clear why we're in this position (both nations), and it's entirely to do with the way our dental care is funded (privately in the US, publicly in the UK). Our system clearly targets just issues, whereas the US system also has a focus on cosmetic. I think that's slowly changing in the UK, people are willing to pay some of their own cash for dental treatment, but there are still probably very few people (relatively) who pay for dental plans.
- dazc 11y ago
  I don't know what the figures are for NHS/Private but I've been wholly private for 15 years or so. I don't think it's that uncommon? The emphasis with private practice is very much biased towards prevention. My experience with the old NHS system was entirely the opposite. I am of the generation where NHS dentists were paid per filling. I don't know how the system works now but I'm in no rush to find out.

k-mcgrady 11y ago

Is whiteness really a good indicator?? My teeth aren't particular white but 25 years and I've never had any work needed on them. I know plenty of people with really white teeth who have had more fillings than I can count.

paulddraper 11y ago
Anecdotally, I'd say there's a correlation, but I too know plenty of counterexamples.

noja 11y ago

Hollywood white teeth == healthy?! How? To me they look bizarre, do normal Americans really have teeth like that? (serious question)

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
swozey 11y ago
I'm an American with $10k or so into Orthodontia to make my teeth straight (I had gaps that were a big self-confidence issue for me) but no, seeing someone with insanely bleached white teeth definitely stands out in my head and always looks strange to me. I think there is a pretty big line between Hollywood White and Smoker Yellow. To give a perspective, if it's needed, when I was in middle school (6th-8th) just about every single one of my friends at that point had either had, or was currently wearing braces of some sort. I've now had braces 3 times (Invisalign actually) because my teeth won't stop moving. If I go a few days without wearing a retainer (I wear it nightly) they look different. A month or two without (I've lost the retainer before) and I'm going for round 4. Not sure if this is a genetic thing, or what, my cousins and sister have had the same thing happen, but I know plenty of other people who have never worn their retainers and barely had any movement.
- ahoy 11y ago
  "Braces" culture is interesting. I grew up in the rural southeast of the US, and while braces weren't unheard of they were uncommon. I have friends from new england who reported the opposite - most children, even those from poorer families, had braces.
  - swozey 11y ago
    Driving to the orthodontist was a major pain for my parents, so maybe that had something to do with it. They had to take off work early, pick me up at school, take me to the Ortho and wait around for an hour while the braces were aligned - EVERY month. I'd imagine it's even more of a pain for those in rural areas who have less options. The orthos next to schools made out like bandits. But my parents were also Military, so maybe that's just my experience.
zyxley 11y ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECgQjZYAGqs#t=9m49s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECgQjZYAGqs#t=9m49s

louthy 11y ago

As a British person I find the joke quite amusing, and it's always something that's commented on when I'm in the states ("your teeth are pretty good for a brit", that kind of thing). I think on the whole it shows a gap in expectations between the US and the UK. As nations we have a different view of what is 'normal'. I often think that my US friends look like they're wearing dentures, because their teeth are (in my eyes) unnaturally perfect. They look strange to me. If as a nation you expect that level of perfection in teeth, then everybody else who has 'natural' teeth are going to appear to have bad teeth. It's clear why we're in this position (both nations), and it's entirely to do with the way our dental care is funded (privately in the US, publicly in the UK). Our system clearly targets just issues, whereas the US system also has a focus on cosmetic. I think that's slowly changing in the UK, people are willing to pay some of their own cash for dental treatment, but there are still probably very few people (relatively) who pay for dental plans.

dazc 11y ago
I don't know what the figures are for NHS/Private but I've been wholly private for 15 years or so. I don't think it's that uncommon? The emphasis with private practice is very much biased towards prevention. My experience with the old NHS system was entirely the opposite. I am of the generation where NHS dentists were paid per filling. I don't know how the system works now but I'm in no rush to find out.