Something to chew on

A look into the cosmetic world of teeth

The first time I went to a dentist appointment in Amsterdam, I was shocked when the dental hygienist peered into my mouth and told me my teeth looked perfect. After spending most of my life in the United States healthcare system, fearing trips to specialists for my uneven bite and jaw pain, I soaked in the validation. As much as a good checkup was a dream come true, I couldn’t help but wonder if my rigorous bi-annual cleanings, whiting strips, and toothpastes had all been in vain.

Text Islay Kilgannon Image Evita Belegri

This juxtaposition of perspectives led me to question how much of our ideas about health are socially constructed. Based on my own experience with dental care in the United States, I grew up thinking my teeth needed to look a certain way in order for them to work. When I left and started comparing my experiences to people who never worried as deeply about how white or how clean their teeth were, I learned that the perfect smile I knew so well was not necessarily the standard everywhere. Considering how looks are emphasized just as much as function, the line between aesthetics and healthcare is not as clear as we are led to believe. By delving into the complexities of the dental industry we come to see the ways in which our ideas about health and beauty are manufactured and molded.

Beauty bites

Teeth can be regarded as one of the most visible signs of physical health and hygiene in Western societies. In an article titled ‘Straight White Teeth as a Social Prerogative’, Khalid and Quinonez explain that whiteness of the teeth can be associated with purity, and healthy white teeth may also be symbolic of youthfulness. While straight, white teeth may be the norm in Western societies today, this was not always the case. The rise of straight white teeth as the norm can be linked to the establishment of dentistry as an industry. Orthodontic practice became more common and accessible to the middle class in order to prepare soldiers for World War II, creating the foundation for a widespread industry.

Outside of Western dental care, teeth have long been filed, blackened and modified, serving as symbols of cultural and religious values, power, beauty, and more. While straight, white teeth are the conventional markers of health and beauty, teeth can also be representative of the avant garde. Think: the gap teeth and crooked smiles of famous actors and models or the golden and bejewelled grillz of the world’s most iconic rappers. Musicians like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury’s distinctive smiles lent well to their celebrity image. Uniqueness and unconventional beauty have boosted the careers of many models as well, highlighting the way that trends and ideals often circulate in extremes. This calls to mind an iconic moment from my childhood reality television consumption: on Season 15 of America’s Next Top Model, supermodel and host, Tyra Banks, had a contestant’s teeth shaved down in order to widen the distinctive space between her front teeth. The polarised nature of dental cosmetics can be reflective of how strongly the media and popular culture shift norms and conventions represented by our bodies.

Trends and ideals often circulate between extremes

Perfect, pearly whites may be the ideal, but curated smiles seek to highlight, celebrate, and also commodify