# English-Bad Teeth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-bad-teeth/191966>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 30, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-bad-teeth/191966 "2003-07-30T19:31:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Brad\_Amundsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dbc845/32.png) [@Brad\_Amundsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_Amundsen)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-bad-teeth/191966/1 "2003-07-30T19:31:09Z")

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I have never been to England but I have seen many T.V shows,movies,and comics talk about English people having bad teeth. Do they have bad teeth? If so why?

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**Author:** ![Phage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a4c791/32.png) [@Phage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phage)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-bad-teeth/191966/2 "2003-07-30T20:04:57Z")

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Yes, probably because of poor dental care and the lack of florine in the water. I understand that this is changing tho…

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**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-bad-teeth/191966/3 "2003-07-30T20:30:57Z")

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The question has been covered in this [previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=189962). The short answer is, it depends on what you mean by “bad”. You’re just seeing teeth with their natural variability in colour and shape. Generally, the British keep their teeth in good mechanical repair, but unless the defect is serious, aren’t interested in purely cosmetic orthodontics. (Conversely, the British often view American teeth as “fake”).

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**Author:** ![trabi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@trabi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trabi)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-bad-teeth/191966/4 "2003-07-30T20:31:31Z")

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[This has already been done at least once…](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=189962&highlight=english+teeth)

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**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-bad-teeth/191966/5 "2003-07-30T20:36:33Z")

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I was doing to ask this question but wasn’t sure how without offending anyone.

My assumption is that the Brit’s teeth are natural while American’s insist that blinding white is the best.

Bob