Support NeoGAF

[Korey]

"Why do people care about looking good?"

 

[CopperPuppy]

Teeth are arbitrary.

 

[Naked Snake]

Hollywood

 

[JoeM86]

Thats scarily accurate to my terrible British teeth.

Yep, same

I had a wisdom tooth breach and that has caused a slight misalignment with two of my front teeth.

Dentist said there was no reason to remove those wisdom teeth though, but every day I can feel the gaps where the teeth have been pushed forward/backward slightly.

Didn't help that I didn't really take good care of them as a child. It's my one regret which affects me to this day. I have too many fillings.

 

[Brock Reiher]

People lived thousands of years without water treatment and knowledge of disease, why does everyone give me shit for eating other people's poop out of train station toilets?

I don't like the fascination with ripping out wisdom teeth, every time I go to the dentist they talk about taking them out eventually, even though they've never been an issue. Like no, leave them be, when they start to bother me then I'll come talk to you.

Even if they didn't cause damage coming in they're still janky af and you have to be real dedicated to keeping them clean or you could easily get infections back there.

 

[kingkaiser]

Fake teeth
Fake breasts
Fake butts
Fake president

I see a pattern there...

 

[BoosterDuck]

I don't like the fascination with ripping out wisdom teeth, every time I go to the dentist they talk about taking them out eventually, even though they've never been an issue. Like no, leave them be, when they start to bother me then I'll come talk to you.

not worrying about food getting stuck in the back of your teeth is an amazing feeling

 

[mattwhite924]

Straight teeth are nice. Totally worth the effort. My teeth were jank as crap before I got braces, and I'd never want to go back to that.

There's a lot of things that the US is obsessed with that I disagree with, nice teeth aren't one of them. I don't see anything wrong with society liking healthy teeth.

 

[Air Zombie Meat]

It's so they can eat more efficiently.

 

[Darryl M R]

For me, I would like to have a smile that made me happy.

I have some serious dental work coming up next year:

• Impacted teeth and wisdom teeth extraction: ~$5,000
• Invisalign: ~$4,000
• Implants; ~$3,000

 

[Gutek]

I don't like to eat my food through a straw.

You heard it here first, folks. Rest of the world has no teeth and eat through a straw. Only bleached and straightened teeth are good enough.

 

[afroguy10]

Thing is as well, our dental health tends to be better than Americans, just because our smiles can be a little crooked and natural doesn't mean our teeth aren't healthy.

 

[God Dayumm]

"Why is the US so obsessed about using deodorant"

 

[Gutek]

Straight teeth are nice. Totally worth the effort. My teeth were jank as crap before I got braces, and I'd never want to go back to that.

There's a lot of things that the US is obsessed with that I disagree with, nice teeth aren't one of them. I don't see anything wrong with society liking healthy teeth.

Straight and white does not mean healthy.

 

[Zoe]

I don't like the fascination with ripping out wisdom teeth, every time I go to the dentist they talk about taking them out eventually, even though they've never been an issue. Like no, leave them be, when they start to bother me then I'll come talk to you.

But once they've started to bother you, some damage has already been done.

 

[Brock Reiher]

Straight and white does not mean healthy.

But straight does. Malocclusion will fuck you up.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Teeth are arbitrary. The binary need for absolute perfection is scary. Your mouth cleaned and took care of itself for thousands of years. It's a lot like shampoo or soap in that it's just a capilistic necessity to gain money.

2000 years ago humans also died by age 40. Gum disease was probably one culprit. If you don't brush your teeth, or at least floss, your gums will recede and you could get gum disease or oral cancer.

 

[mattwhite924]

I don't like the fascination with ripping out wisdom teeth, every time I go to the dentist they talk about taking them out eventually, even though they've never been an issue. Like no, leave them be, when they start to bother me then I'll come talk to you.

My dentists have never suggested I have mine out. I think they only suggest it if they see that you don't have much room for them.

 

[The Dear Leader]

Teeth are an important part of your body, taking care of them and having them look nice is just normal body maintenance. I was lucky enough to be born with naturally straight and healthy teeth and I take good care of them, I wouldn't say I'm obsessed with nice looking teeth but I do care about the look of them for sure.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

Thing is as well, our dental health tends to be better than Americans, just because our smiles can be a little crooked and natural doesn't mean our teeth aren't healthy.

I don't know why people keep using dental health and straightness of teeth interchangeably. As Americans, we value both. As Brits you guys seem to primarily just value the former

 

[Lights and Waves]

Teeth matter so much to me. It's so empowering to have a beautiful smile. It boosts your confidence and your hygiene too.

 

[Dyle]

I don't understand how it doesn't bother other people. My teeth are a constant health concern in a way that no other part of my body is. My teeth are starting to shift already, only like 10 years out of orthodonture work, and the gap is noticeable and at times feels like it's negatively effecting my bite. Focusing on whitening is stupid, but it makes no sense to me why you wouldn't prioritize dental/orthodontal care if you have the means.

 

[Heero5]

You are not fooling anyone, brit.

Obligatory:

You have a black light, IT'S 1999!

 

[E92 M3]

This thread is

 

[Zen_Arcade]

The same reason people are concerned with any part of their body looking good. They want to be found attractive. White, straight teeth factor into that, so people like to have white, straight teeth.

 

[perfectchaos007]

My teeth are straight but I have a class 3 underbite so my teeth are end to end when I chew. Its slowly going to grind away my enamel and theres nothing I can do about it unless they literally break my jaw and realign my jaw back a couple millimeters.

 

[Ullus]

Brazil represent

 

[VARIA]

Some people go overboard on the teeth whitening to the point where it looks unnatural.

That shit looks scary.

 

[Brock Reiher]

Naturally crooked teeth are like scoliosis. Depending on the severity it may not ruin your life, but it's kind of weird to say it's more healthy than the evolutionarily designed orientation.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Op do you not want healthy teeth?

This is like asking why people are so worried about not getting the flu.

 

[Rad-]

Whenever I see people with super white teeth (I mean the type that is very obviously over-whitened) and totally straight like legos I just cringe. It looks just as bad as yellow teeth.

 

[ShyMel]

Dental health is highly important to me and I am glad I had braces, even if I had to use those annoying rubber bands.

 

[kikiribu]

Um because healthy, white teeth are better than busted yellow teeth? It’s really not that deep

 

[Lights and Waves]

Teeth are arbitrary. The binary need for absolute perfection is scary. Your mouth cleaned and took care of itself for thousands of years. It's a lot like shampoo or soap in that it's just a capilistic necessity to gain money.

GAF really is the gift that keeps on giving...

 

[Enco]

Op do you not want healthy teeth?

This is like asking why people are so worried about not getting the flu.

.

Who wants ugly and unhealthy teeth?

 

[TheOnlyOneHeEverFeared]

Yep, same

I had a wisdom tooth breach and that has caused a slight misalignment with two of my front teeth.

Dentist said there was no reason to remove those wisdom teeth though, but every day I can feel the gaps where the teeth have been pushed forward/backward slightly.

Didn't help that I didn't really take good care of them as a child. It's my one regret which affects me to this day. I have too many fillings.

I have just never taken care of my teeth, and now they're fucked

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

I'll just say that nothing is more repulsive to me than really bad teeth. It can literally set off my gag reflex. If you have really bad teeth, it can become physically impossible for me to interact with you.

 

[E92 M3]

Teeth are arbitrary. The binary need for absolute perfection is scary. Your mouth cleaned and took care of itself for thousands of years. It's a lot like shampoo or soap in that it's just a capilistic necessity to gain money.

 

[Joeytj]

Brazil represent

Alternate timeline Obama?

 

[Lulubop]

Went to look for some cultural-biological explanation for this, and stumbled upon this page that had a very difficult quiz:

I was 100% certain this was Tom Hanks, but he wasn't one of the choices.

That's Redman

 

[Dongs Macabre]

.

 

[old]

Class and income signifier.

Americans love to show that they have and make money.

 

[Red]

Not about being perfect. What is the perfect tooth? Who defines it? It is about creating value in something most people do not have, so that a product may be sold.

 

[Jzero]

Extremely white teeth are creepy and yellow teeth look gross AF.

 

[mattwhite924]

Extremely white teeth are creepy and yellow teeth look gross AF.

Naturally whiteish without horrific stains is nice.

 

[Cyanity]

Teeth are arbitrary. The binary need for absolute perfection is scary. Your mouth cleaned and took care of itself for thousands of years. It's a lot like shampoo or soap in that it's just a capilistic necessity to gain money.

you forgot the /s

 

[Lights and Waves]

Class and income signifier.

Americans love to show that they have and make money.

Here's where I wish we had a sarcasm font. Are you trolling or is this something you actually believe when it comes to dental hygiene in America?

 

[WadiumArcadium]

Brazil represent

Bobby's teeth have been known to blind supporters on a sunny day at Anfield.

 

[Mossybrew]

I'm from the US, but I've always found the obsession with perfectly straight and white teeth really strange, and then I only found it stranger as I traveled the world more and saw how no one else really seems to care all that much...?

So, what's the deal? Is any other part of the world so keenly conscious about their teeth?

Nah I agree. My teeth aren't totally jacked up, but they are certainly not movie-star straight and who cares. In fact too-perfect super white teeth can be distracting and look unnatural, I was watching Sarah Silverman's latest stand up and her teeth were just too much, it was like all I could see.

 

[mikeGFG]

Here's where I wish we had a sarcasm font. Are you trolling or is this something you actually believe when it comes to dental hygiene in America?

Cosmetic dentistry ain't cheap, my dude