Why do many British people have bad teeth?

Question

I heard it's because they don't treat their water w/ Flouride like we (americans) do. Is this true?

** Not All, but most of them ***

Answer 1

Same reason so many Americans or Australians or Asians do....if ya dont take care of your teeth, theyll be bad. Ya cant really say its just the British.

Answer 2

To answer your question it is because up until the invention of the toothbrush in 1985, the Brits were using twigs for oral hygiene. The toothbrush caught on in some of posh circles of London, but not so much with the average man in the street. Using a toothbrush there is like driving a Rolls Royce - most people find it pretentious. Plus, they've been using twigs since the days of the Picts and old habits are hard to break.

Answer 3

I've heard the flouride thing too. It's probably more likely to be a cultural thing---In the US, we think it's very important to take kids to the dentist. If American parents fail to do so, we think they're neglecting their children. In England, however, taking your kids to the dentist is not considered a high priority. This is slowly changing, though.

Answer 4

No.... the main problem is these days in many parts of the country it is next to impossible to find a dentist....... we may have the NHS to provide such things for free to those who need it, but many dentists are packing in taking on patients via the NHS and taking on only private clients instead, and it is just about impossible to join a practise these days, and they kick people off to make room for other people if they miss appointments for check-ups.

Here's a couple of news stories showing just how bad it is in the next town down the coast from where I live:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3502813.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/3494409.stm

Answer 5

It's more to do with what they eat, but in some areas of Britain it is very hard to find a dentist (or at least ones whose charges are not expensive).

Answer 6

Yeah, that could be a stereotype. i'm an American and that i see human beings on a daily basis with effective and undesirable enamel. undesirable enamel do no longer discriminate by utilising area! although that is like asserting all individuals are fat hillbillies. no longer genuine.

Answer 7

I know lots of people from the UK (I live in Australia) and none of them have bad teeth. I dont know about their water but I never thought this was an issue for them.

Answer 8

In a college Soc class, our professor and our book both told us that part of the reason is genetic in that particular race of people that makes them more prone to problems with their teeth. Of course , that professor was often absant or HIGH.. lol.. but the *book* said it also, so who knows?

The bulk of the problem is probably what was already stated, poor dental care offered in their healthcare plan. :)

Another point: Dentists in the US often use braces on children when they aren't needed. My teeth are very straight but my dentist tried to get me to get braces.. to get the $$!!

Answer 9

your question is ridiculous. My entire family are British and not one has bad teeth nor have i ever met a British person with teeth any different to any one else.

fluoride is a poison and isn't put in Australian water either - so your reasoning is also pathetic

however fluoride in water is linked to thyroid disease, causing hypothyroidism, which probably explains why Americans have the highest numbers of murderers (including 86% of the worlds serial killers) and highest percentage of diagnosed mental disorders in the world.


thumbs down, hmmm not quite as humourous when the truth is pointed out eh?>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Answer 10

1. Their national health service offers only fundamental dental coverage.

2. They don’t fluoridate their public water as much as we do.

3. They eat more sweets than Americans.

4. Unlike us, they didn’t grow up bombarded by public service announcements about oral hygiene.