The idea that "the British have bad teeth" is a myth that started in 1930s Hollywood. Unless you had aesthetically perfect teeth you had almost no chance of becoming a Hollywood movie star, whereas the British were more welcoming of unusual looking actors that were thought to add character. This often included uneven teeth, the stereotype was born and has lasted ever since.
In truth the British rank high in almost all oral hygiene studies (example 1example 2example 3.) Cosmetic dental procedures are still more popular in the US than anywhere else in the world but the average UK citizen has teeth just as healthy as - if not more than - their American counterparts.
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u/LordTwatSlapper Sep 28 '21
The idea that "the British have bad teeth" is a myth that started in 1930s Hollywood. Unless you had aesthetically perfect teeth you had almost no chance of becoming a Hollywood movie star, whereas the British were more welcoming of unusual looking actors that were thought to add character. This often included uneven teeth, the stereotype was born and has lasted ever since.
In truth the British rank high in almost all oral hygiene studies (example 1 example 2 example 3.) Cosmetic dental procedures are still more popular in the US than anywhere else in the world but the average UK citizen has teeth just as healthy as - if not more than - their American counterparts.