I don't know why it bugs me as much as it does, this culture of wanting a pretty white smile. Okay, maybe I know why. There are a few reasons.
Reason One: bright white teeth are not natural. Yes. our healthy enamel has a natural white hue to it, while the stuff underneath (dentin, according to my search engine) is yellowish. In general, healthy teeth are yellowish in color, though everyone is different. If your teeth are naturally white, they can be healthy. If they are naturally quite yellow, they can be healthy. But presuming white teeth are the prettier, better, healthier, cleaner teeth just isn't true.
Reason Two: my autistic brother, Dar, has quite yellow teeth. They are also quite healthy teeth. He is lucky that there's a fair amount of space between them, they're easier to clean that way, and he doesn't have the best motor skills so excellent tooth brushing doesn't come easy to him. Forget flossing! However, his big beautiful smile, when bestowed upon people, is sometimes followed up with a comment on the color of his teeth. I'll say it plainly: A lot of people look at my brother and see a disabled man with yellow teeth, the yellow teeth adding to their already predisposed discomfort around a disabled man, due to their predisposed discomfort around yellow teeth.
Reason Three: I feel like (and here I admit it's simply my feeling, I've done no research or anything) there is enough money being made in the tooth whitening world that it will be really hard to shift this frame of mind. I mean, with the money being made it's gotta be worthwhile to keep pushing this "whiter teeth are better teeth, of course you want whiter teeth, we can sell you whiter teeth" narrative. And with little to no tooth sensitivity, too!
Reason Four: speaking of money, the insidious bias that whiter teeth are better teeth means we practically can't help but judge each other as cleaner, healthier, classier, when we have whiter teeth. So to get ahead in the world, maybe we should whiten our teeth. Because that's how you get the job, the partner, the trust, the great customer service, by appearing healthy and clean. A nice clean healthy someone we want to be around. Which means you need to have money in order to whiten your teeth (even if you choose to use oil pulling, the oils cost money) so you can get the job, the partner, the trust, the great customer service.
Reason Five: I think I'm bothered because it works on me. I get excited when my teeth look whiter. I take note of what toothpaste I used that made my teeth looker whiter and I try to find it again. This is fine, as is whitening your teeth if you want, but I don't like how insidious it can be. How I feel more comfortable smiling when my teeth look whiter because I know the receiver of my smile won't be awkwardly distracted by the yellow of my teeth. A natural yellowish healthy tint of teeth should not unfavorably color the joy of a smile. (Okay, I admit to barely actually thinking about the color of my teeth when smiling, but it does happen now and then.)
I feel like the whole "having white teeth is better" fiasco is an example of a lot of things that simply go too far. Things that go from misinformation to disinformation. Yes, teeth are stained by things we eat, drink, and do. Smoking stains them for sure. So can my beloved coffee. Also, malnutrition breeds less healthy everything, including teeth. As does poor mouth maintenance, leading to discolored teeth. This feeds the misinformation that white teeth, then, must be clean cared for teeth while yellow teeth must be stained neglected teeth. Then, when people start selling tooth whitening products, the misinformation turns to disinformation. The advertisements insinuate that, clearly, you want whiter teeth because those are better, so here's why you should get those whiter teeth with our product. Everyone we like to look at on our screens has white teeth, unless they are the homeless one, or the junkie. Etc. We are purposely sold the lie that the whiter the smile, the cleaner and better and more successful and healthy is the person behind the smile.
I know, I know, it's silly. It's not a big deal. Whiten your teeth if you want to. I continue to smile easier when I know my teeth are whiter.
But it's too bad, isn't it? Wouldn't it be cool if we all agreed that teeth can simply be healthy? Not have to look a certain way to prove it? Let them be missing, crooked, far apart, crowded. Fix the stuff that makes it harder to be healthy, let the rest be beautiful in it's own right. That would be nice. And more affordable.
When my brother smiles big, when he makes direct eye contact and gives a huge from the soul of himself grin, it is bloody gorgeous!
Those far apart yellow teeth of his rival the sun for the light they bring into a room.
Hugs, smiles, and love!!
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| My brother, Dar, in a pool wearing his gorgeous grin |
