Statistics have been released relating to the public’s perception of teeth, dental health and the aesthetics of a good smile.
It seems that 80% of the public here in the UK believe that the British have bad teeth, which is coupled with a feeling for 75% of us that a great smile is really important.
Often, stereotypes that the British seem to pick up surprise me, and none more so than this feeling that we all have bad teeth. Although I have no idea where this originally came from, it’s true that it is in fact us that has mostly propagated it. So many of us, it seems, are of the belief that we as a nation have poor dental hygiene, and that a better smile would us happier people.
In fact, around 58% of us British believe that a straighter, whiter smile would make them considerably happier as people.
Again, complementing the negative stereotypes about British people, there is another stereotype propagated by American TV shows, leading people to believe that individuals with bright white smiles are significantly happier and more attractive. There was scandal recently when X-factor judge Simon Cowell was accused of telling his contestants to get veneers. Whilst this was never substantiated, there does seem to be a direct correlation between participating in the talent show and a sudden improvement in the appearance of their teeth.
90% of UK based males don’t brush their teeth for the expected 3 minutes twice a day, which is one of the reasons that the perceptions about British dental health are so negative.
This is a really shocking statistic. It’s small wonder that the rest of the world continues to view us as a nation with bad teeth if such a large majority of men in the country neglect dental hygiene. I always make sure to brush my teeth for at least three minutes twice a day – three times a day if I’m at home – and I use mouthwash too. This was, I can be sure that my smile will stay clean and white.
90% of people think that smelly breath and bad teeth are the ultimate turn off.
Unsurprisingly, people are placing a lot of value on their senses. People believe that a bad smile is not nice to look at, but they also believe that bad breath is just as unattractive. Bad breath can be caused by numerous different things, from poor dental health to an unhealthy diet. Sometimes, you can have an actual ailment without even knowing it, so if you have chronic bad breath, see your GP or dentist to find out what might actually be wrong.