So many adverts made by ‘western’ companies, especially anything related to toothpaste/other dental stuff, have the presenter smile with some uniform, white flat teeth. I feel like they look sort of uncanny, they just seem off-putting to me. Most people have decently flat teeth but they aren’t that fake-looking white. I have pointy canines/pre molars that definitely look completely different to the ‘perfect teeth’.

  • Zier@fedia.io
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    1 month ago

    The same reason people have freaky duck lips, body dysmorphia.

  • JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    In the US I think it’s (conventionally) considered attractive because most people can’t afford even decent dental care. So if you have good teeth it’s sort of a sign of wealth, if that makes any sense.

        • BlitzoTheOisSilent@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          Seriously, look at the beauty standards and treatments of the Victorian era.

          Women would squeeze citric acid in their eyes because they believe it cleaned them and whitened them, and the burning sensation was just the germs being cleaned.

          • borari@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            1 month ago

            This is how I’ve always felt about hydrogen peroxide, even though people now say it does more harm than good? So I guess I get it.

    • Ezek@sopuli.xyzOP
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      1 month ago

      Even so, some people take it way too far with things like veneers. & to be honest, as long as they’re mostly straight, natural teeth don’t even look that bad. In my opinion it’s definitely better than the so-called ‘perfect teeth’

      • JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        By bottom row of teeth are super crowded in the front. One little bastard in particular overlaps another tooth just a tiny bit, which leads to some really annoying pain that i can’t really do anything about.

        I also had a couple teeth grow in almost sideways but they don’t cause any pain as much as they just look ugly. I also can’t show my teeth when I smile, but idk if that has to do with my teeth or my mouth.

    • QuarterSwede@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Eh, dental care insurance is some of the cheapest insurance out there in the US. It’s easily affordable if you’re working full time. Whitening isn’t that expensive either.

  • AwkwardLookMonkeyPuppet@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Everyone these days looks like Ross Geller from the episode where he left the bleach on his teeth overnight on accident. Back then it was a funny joke. Now it’s every single entertainer on the planet, and 80% of people who can afford it.

  • Kintarian@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    That’s why when I got dentures I picked a few shades darker than stark white. We Americans just have some obsession with bright white teeth. I think they look phony.

    • whithom@discuss.online
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      1 month ago

      I was really happy to find vampire fang attachments this year that were actually tooth colored. They matched perfectly.

        • whithom@discuss.online
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          1 month ago

          Well, we all have an obsession with dentistry. Why more vampires don’t go into the profession themselves is the real question. People are often anesthetized for dental surgery, and drawing a pint of two would probably go unnoticed. Seems like the perfect opportunity.

  • bpev@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    So people often comment on my extremely straight teeth, but it’s actually because I didn’t see the dentist for many years, it turns out that I grind my teeth, and so now my canines are flat. My dentist said I have teeth like someone in their sixties, and now I wear a mouth guard when I sleep to prevent further degradation.

  • Kaiyoto@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    You’re totally right. I imagine a lot of those ads are airbrushed to emphasize the teeth because that’s essentially the product they are selling. I imagine some people are like “well if it’s that white on that person, maybe it’ll actually work for me.”

    Some people also have veneers put in because their smile is important to their job or because their teeth are stained from coffee or fluoride.