Why are some Americans obsessed with brilliant white teeth?

Never one to stereotype, but can anyone tell me why this obsession with straight bright white teeth in the USA?


Now, I know there is the other extreme, but for most of us the way your teeth have their quirks, little gaps maybe or a little overlap, is all part of a person's character.


Explain if you can, coz I dont get it.


Rich

Why are some Americans obsessed with brilliant white teeth?
There are several reasons ...





The underlying reason is social status. Having good teeth, shows that you either have fantastic natural genes (unlikely) or have the finances to fix whatever problems you have. Once everyone starts getting their teeth done, the bar raises to bigger, whiter brighter etc. So, expect more customisation and treatments that differentiate people. Grills(?) are an example of this - bright white teeth are not enough. You need to use grills to demonstrate your affluence by essentially buying a completely useless piece of jewelry.





Allied to this is the increasing availability of treatments that are affordable to working class people (in the US). As soon people start having teeth that are noticably the result of treatment (as opposed to work to make them natural as has been the case in the UK), it means that there is an increasing gap with those who don't have them done, meaning that there is more pressure to conform to the social norm of bright white teeth .





In the UK, with the exception of parts of London, the societal norm is to want to attain natural looking teeth, not bright white fake pearlies. This will almost certainly change though as cheaper US treatments become more available in the UK and people elect for whiter teeth as a way of demonstrating affluence.





Did I mention, that on the whole, UK teeth really need to improve ... so it isn't a bad thing to improve UK dental standards.





The final point is that that UK dental system for the majority of people (the NHS) will only treat basic work and will not perform cosmetic work (unless you want to pay huge fees). In the US people expect to pay significantly for dental work, so there is pressure on dentists to visibly demonstrate these results with bright white teeth.





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Reply:because they look good.
Reply:americans are continuously in compotition
Reply:I have noticed that lately.They also think that all the Brits have gum disease , bad breath and rotten teath,a very strange steriotyping.
Reply:maybe coz unlike us the british, they care bout their teeth
Reply:Its mainly a question of vanity. And straight white teeth do look better than crooked yellow or green ones.
Reply:Yes I have also wondered this very strange cultural fascination with yellow-brown skin and fluorescent teeth. I have no answer but I will wait.


Perhaps it is an indication of social status that they have enough disposable wealth to visit dental technician often
Reply:Some people are very vain. They want to inquire the "good" qualities of certain groups of people - while still being ignorant.
Reply:People seem to missing the point a bit. Of course, straight white teeth look better than green ones but some film stars (Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt) would glow in the dark!!





I think that's the salient point here. It's trickling down from celebrity into the mainstream. America (like with most things ) started the trend and it's now increasing in popularity in UK as well. I'll keep my normal-coloured, clean, well looked after teeth though, thanks.
Reply:America is a clean place with clean people ...................ummmm i think?
Reply:Honestly I think it is quiet simple... its really the same reason you wouldn't wear a dirty white T-shirt. Your teeth were meant to be white. I think Veneers are going to the extreme but bleaching your teeth is the same thing as bleaching a shirt.
Reply:so you're saying to find crooked yellow teeth attractive ?
Reply:Because in America, what you look like is everything - they care more about how you look than who you are.
Reply:All the Hollywood stars seem to have them but haven't you noticed that the other 99% of them are grotesquely obese and although friendly most of them are pig ignorant and morons


They still seem to think that they have the best country in the world but it is a false vision, they are murdering,invading dumb asses.



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