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Getting your teeth straightened was pretty normal for my generation in the UK but not everyone bothered. My orthodontist told me that it wasn't necessary and would be a pain in the arse so I didn't get it done (kinda wish now that I did because I have bite problems but I didn't have those at the time). I don't know anyone who gets their teeth whitened though.
I'm British and I'm trying to think of anyone I know with bad teeth, but I don't have any friends or relatives with bad teeth.
I find in the USA they want super-white teeth. I find this odd as super-white teeth looks false and invariably they are. We have a thing of not having to show false teeth. It means you had bad teeth that had to be ripped out.
Really, most people in European countries have bad teeth?
@ColdAilment:
Quote:
It seems like it's mostly the UK, to be honest. I'm sure I'll draw a lot of hate and discontent from this, but from what I have seen, the dental hygiene in most of Europe does not seem to be on the same level as the United States.
It's not just the straight teeth that American clamor for, but from a lot of Europeans, primarily the British, it would seem that dirty or bad teeth are very common over there. Why is this?
British teeth are no worse off than American teeth.
Pouring through the data in the CDC's 2012 Oral Health Status Survey and the National Health Service's (NHS) 2011 Adult Dental Health Survey reveals that, by adulthood, Americans narrowly beat Britons in rates of adult tooth decay: 23.6% vs. 27.5%. Other measures, such as the rates of teeth restorations, and the percent of adults who are edentate (meaning they don't have any natural teeth) are nearly identical.
75% of Britons brush their teeth twice a day. Roughly 80% of Americans do.
71% of British adults visit the dentist each year, while only 61.6% of Americans claim to do so.
Almost all American children to don braces at some point, Britons commonly eschew the process.
Also: Britons often frown on "artificially" white smiles.
US teeth are sometimes whiter than it is physically possible to get in nature - there is a new reality out there. The most extreme tooth bleaching is terrifying, it looks like it's painted with gloss paint and has altered what people perceive as normal.
Yanks are partial to their straight, pearly whites. Brits enjoy a more zigzag, earthy-colored set of chompers. Different strokes for different folks.
Read more here: http://www.realclearscience.com/blog...can_teeth.html
Sure, but risks associated with tooth whitening include tooth sensitivity and damage to the roots of teeth, teeth can become porous and enamel can break down.
The OP obviously has a confined life here in the US. Want to see bad teeth? Go to poor areas of the US (there are no shortage of them). What you find there are numerous people with bad teeth, to the point a large van with a dentist comes around once a year to pull teeth free of charge. You also have the meth heads with their teeth all screwed up as well, plus the dippers with their teeth stained all up and gums receding.
While you think having straight teeth and whitening is some sort of sign of healthy teeth, it is not, those are merely cosmetic features many people do not care about. So while in America Ms. Ashley will have the straightest and white teeth around (throw in the fifty dollar nail special and spray on tan), her numerous root canals and 26% body fat just shows she is unhealthy.
Where did this idea come from? Peoples teeth here are no worse than in the US - probably better than some parts of the US.
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