Where does this idea the Americans have come from?

Question

The British have bad teeth? I have seen this a few times aimed as an insult, but I don't get it as I do not know anyone who has bad teeth - apart from a couple of bruisers, but they keep getting them knocked out in fights every time they are replaced....

I see the reference to Austin Powers and the Simpsons, but again these are American shows: Do the American public believe these American shows to be representative? I do not get stereo types at all

Robbie Williams - Heavy smoker amongst other things - Perhaps I don't stare at other peoples teeth enough to notice.....

Answer 1

Surely, A Bloke, you are aware that all coutries have many individuals with bad teeth, and/or bad breath? All those here who are posting that American's are consummed with teeth bleaching and veneers are simply missing the obvious. Those who do so are usually the ones on the tube. As such, it matters not in the least which country the person comes from or lives in; if they are on the tube a lot they whiten, straighten, and fix up their teeth.

It is usually the poorer folks who have the worst teeth in any given country. Many people who do not have the income or amount of insurance to pay for regular dental care will have poor teeth. Those who came from families who lacked income to pay for braces will have crooked teeth. It is a simple socio-eccomomical issue as well as one of how people are raised. If a person is raised to have good oral hygeine they will have good teeth; maybe not straight teeth, but at least clean and healthy teeth.

This notion that people from a certain country have more individuals with poor oral hygeine is without merit or basis of fact. Those in third world countries will have a much higher incidence of bad teeth than those in more developed countries. It is a cause and effect situation based on socio-econimical status; proper education of oral hygeine and a care for one's own personal appearance. I know many adults who wish they could have had braces while they were children and are working towards being able to afford them now they are adults out on their own.

It is also true that not long ago any person of any country had bad teeth. Most individuals lost most of their teeth by the age of thirty. This was due to a lack of understanding of the cause and affect of proper oral hygeine. With the onset of oral hygeine education and the monetary ability to afford regular dental care the number of folks who lost teeth at early age was reduce markedly.

Anyone who uses a spoof such as Austin Powers as "proof" of anything in reality of a societal image is just plain silly and ignorant. It is a spoof for crying out loud and as such is not based on reality. I also was not aware that Robin Williams was English, OR that he had bad teeth with stuff stuck in them all the time. The person who posted that was either being sarcastic or just plain ignorant.

Regardless of how far we have come with "equaltiy" we still view those with poor teeth and dental hygeine as from a lower class. Those with "good" teeth are considered to be from a higher socio-ecconimical class. This view is very unfair and smacks of ignorance, lack of insight, poor judgement, and discrimination. Those with good teeth are more likely to obtain good job opportunities than those with poor dental health. The same is true for those who are over weight verses those who are not.

Until we move away from such narrow minded judgemental behaviors we fail to reach a level of equality and enlightenment. I do agree with the poster who said it may be more emotionally healthy for you to not dwell on what the ingnorant and shallow minded wish to think or believe. Especially when you are fully aware of how wrong they are. You are also just as guilty as those you are angry with as you are stating ALL Americans' believe this crud. It is narrow minded stereotypical behavior which lends itself to discrimination, prejudicial and elitist attitudes, which is not becoming at all.

So, in conclusion let us all attempt a higher degree of kindess towards others and try to avoid such stereotyping. I wonder how you reconcile your own behavior while accusing an entire people of actions you are engaging in? I also wonder if you have even given consideration to this fact while writing your question? I am not trying to offer offense, just pointing out what your question is suggesting about how your mind works. Why is it OK for you to do what you feel is so wrong of others to do? Isn't that rather like the pot calling the kettle black?

I do wish you a very grand day and a wonderful life in general.

Answer 2

Started way back in the 1700's most English the Americans had contact with after years of being separated by an giant ocean, where sailors mostly navy , merchants , and immigrants who went on long voyages across the Atlantic or lived on ships most of the year. They would develop scurry from lack of fresh veggies , symptoms often would be bloody gums and/or lose of teeth. The British Finlay found a fix to this problem by carrying limes aboard there ships. Scurry caused by the lack of vitamin C was cured with a lime....hence the other not so flattering name for Britt's developed , " Limeys". Also to note: dental hygiene was far more promoted in America (not earlier than England but rather more aggressively at an earlier time.) Britt's tend to eat more sweets as one person correctly stated in an earlier answer. The rest about English having big teeth is purely myth , just as to say all Jews have big noses is also a myth...Look at Paul Newman (JEWISH). Roger Moore (ENGLISH). Bye the way i am considered a redneck with bad tobacco stained teeth who lives in a trailer park. P.S (I also am serious collector beer cans and guns and will be staring on the Jerry Springer show for sleeping with my wife's white trash sister.)

Answer 3

I don't know either. I've always wondered where that stereotype came from. I'm an American and never seen a British person with bad teeth. So I've wondered. It was a notion made popular with the Austin Powers movies. I don't think most Americans think they do, it's probaby just a stereotype started a long time ago.

Answer 4

Well ok one reason we think y'all have bad teeth is austin powers and also have you ever seen robbie williams' teeth? I just saw em the other day and they're gross- big spaces between each one and brown stuff between em yuck! and he's like a big sex symbol over there isn't he?? I mean obviously not all brits have bad teeth look at the beckhams! but then again look at jude law- he has yucky teeth too! BTW I dated a british guy with bad teeth! The rest of the body and the accent made up for it completely!!

Answer 5

I'm sorry, but I've never heard of this. All the British people I know have lovely teeth - same as everyone else who practices good hygiene.

Have a lovely rest of the day.

Answer 6

Wow. vast question. regrettably, it could't be responded merely, yet i assume the perfect reaction is contained interior the statement of Independence. In a nutshell, it declares freedom is the present of God by way of distinctive function of creation. the american section got here approximately by way of putting forward independence from a tyrannical king. i've got not got faith it took the impact of any peoples or communities exterior of those being oppressed to "arise with" working as a loose and sovergn human beings. regardless of each thing, those adult men have been incredibly clever of their very very own perfect.

Answer 7

The fact is that the Americans pay hundreds of millions of pounds to crooks who sell them artificial whiteners to make their teeth look great, thanks to advertising and then of course these advertisers want us to do the same so they can cream more money of us poor mugs. I thought we were more intelligent than that but if you look at morons who buy this rubbish then I am afraid this country is finished. The fact is all this bleach and other adulterated crap that is put in these tooth additives will lead eventually to them rotting away and dropping out. As for the so called orthodontists these are the same as the psychiatrists only only in it for the money they can squeeze of out fools.

Answer 8

American comedians promote the idea. Leno does a bad-British-teeth joke about once a week.

Answer 9

It's just one of those stereotypes that people have about people in other countries, and is played up in the movies. "Austin Powers" is one movie that combined just about every negative British stereotype into one person.

It's really no different than people saying that all Americans are fat and stupid. Or that Mexican people are lazy. You get the picture.

Answer 10

It's a scurvy reference. Americans call Britons limeys, because the British navy gave limes to sailors, in order to combat the Vitamin C deficiency illness scurvy, a feature of which is loss of teeth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scurvy

Answer 11

Don't get vexed, the truth is that the majority of British (males especially) do have bad teeth, maybe it's from drinking too much beer and bragging about their conquests!