Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lao Wai]

Hi,

Has anyone ever noticed how Americans seem to have perfectly straight, white teeth? On many American tv shows I watch, including reality tv shows (where they're not celebrities) people have blindingly white teeth. I mean, even some of the American Idol contestants who don't seem to be from affluent backgrounds, have great teeth.

I'm Canadian, and went to the dentist regulary as a kid and although my teeth are 'okay', they are not so white or perfect. My Brit, Aussie, and Kiwi friends are like me.

I want 'American teeth'. Just like this smiley face.

[kimchi story]

I love my dentist back home. Actually, she was referred to me by a fellow poster here and her name is Dr. Bridge. The secret to the American smile? Bridge work. I'm dead certain of it. That means grinding your real teeth to nubs and putting in new ones. Bright, white and consistent. But spendy, to be sure (maybe not too spendy in Korea, tho)

[VanIslander]

Where I grew up in Western Canada, straight white teeth was a basic health issue.

I have been horrified by how many of the Brits and Japanese have crooked, stained teeth.

[pdx]

Aha! So Canadians too believe the stereotypes of television!

It's just that braces are really popular. And teeth whitening is huge. That's it.

I'm American and my teeth are crap. I mean.. they're straight, but they're not that pretty.

[kimchi story]

[oneofthesarahs]

I think the teeth whitening goes too far sometimes. I've seen a few people with teeth that are unnaturally white. They're so white they almost look blue, if that makes any sense. I'm all for white teeth, but I shouldn't need sunglasses when I look at your grill.

[djsmnc]

I'm American, and I want the "American" smile too...WTF happened to me?

[BS.Dos.]

My teeth are pretty dull. Off-white in the extreme. I like to call it my knock-'em-dead Chernobyl smile.

I'm also a smoker who likes to smoke, especially whilst drinking strong coffee. In between smoking and drinking stong coffee, I like to graze on sugary confectionary.

As you'd expect, my teeth are not my best feature. However, as a European, I don't make broad sweeping superficial generalizations or judgements based on the colour or aeshetic symmetry of ones teeth. In fact, anyone with a near neurotic obsession about the whiteness of their teeth is probably not someone I'd really care to spend any of my smoke-ring blowing, coffee stain sipping, gummy bear munching time with.

[Qinella]

[Demophobe]

It's the Canadian/British thing. The more we revere the Queen, the worse our teeth get. Americans have Anthony Robbins.

[mindmetoo]

They did a study and found many Asians (like Koreans and Japanese) look to the eyes to determine emotional content of faces and we look to the mouth. Hence probably why Asians are so concerned with getting their eyes made bigger and we are more concerned with making out teeth perfect. Someone once commented that one should eschew the Ivy League education and spend that money on getting your teeth fixed. Also too this eyes vs mouth explains the difference in smileys. Asians express smiley emotion with eyes, we use the mouth. So ^_^ vs

[pdx]

wait... not flouridating the water=bad tooth health? I don't think flouridating the water is the answer. It's getting people to stop drinking crap and not brushing/flossing their teeth.

I've got some horrible teeth due to too much flouride as a kid (and my city water is not flouridated). I've got white spots all over my front teeth and it's ugly!

[kimchi story]

[SeoulFinn]

Everyone can have "American teeth." Well, you can if you can afford it! Some of those perfect smiles you see on the telly are made of porcelain. Google "Porcelain Veneers" or "Dental Veneers" and you will find some information like THIS. The operation can be really expensive, but I think that the costs should be a lot cheaper in Korea or Thailand.

[Bibbitybop]

As long as the teeth are dirty, I don't care if they are perfectly white. As long as there are no bucked-teeth or massively disfigured teeth, having perfectly straight teeth isn't an issue to me (and I'm American with great teeth and one had braces).