The Yanks and Brits have plenty of differences, but among the biggest? The debate over British teeth versus American teeth. Since the dawn of Hollywood, perfectly straight, blindingly white smiles have been the gold standard—just look at Julia Roberts, Halle Berry, and George Clooney.
Lately, the “British teeth” side of the debate has resurfaced with The White Lotus season three, featuring Manchester-born Aimee Lou Wood, who plays Chelsea, whose naturally prominent smile has been trending. “I can’t believe the impact my teeth are having,” Wood said during her appearance on the Jonathan Ross show. “Americans can’t get over them.”
The so-called imperfect English smile, really, is nothing new. (Take Austin Powers, in which lead Mike Myers deliberately gave the character comically bad teeth to exaggerate the stereotype.)
The idea that the British have worse teeth than Americans stems largely from cultural and historical differences rather than anything genetic. In the mid-20th century, the US embraced orthodontics as a status symbol—perfect teeth became synonymous with success. Meanwhile, Britain, with the introduction of the National Health Service in 1945, focused more on functionality than aesthetics. Straightening or whitening teeth was considered unnecessary unless it affected health.
This divide became even more pronounced in the post-war years. While Hollywood stars like Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe sported bleached smiles, many Britons, having endured rationing and limited dental care, had noticeably less polished teeth. The stereotype stuck, reinforced by pop culture examples like Powers.
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