Educational Media Reviews Online

Gleaming white teeth are so prevalent in the U.S. media that it can be surprising to see someone with anything but a perfect smile. The bright white smiling mouths we see on television, in movies, and in advertising are described as a “marker of social class” in Alice Arnold’s film, Teeth. The short film examines the importance of good teeth to health and self-esteem as well as some illuminating cultural significance behind our smiles.

Through interviews with dentists, a psychoanalyst, a health educator, and people with less than perfect smiles, Arnold traces some of the history and psychology of the American obsession with perfect teeth. Individuals with bad or missing teeth describe feeling embarrassed, attempting to hide their smiles. Dentists describe the pattern as a cycle of poor people with poor diets and inadequate education about dental care leading to bad teeth.

Noting that 125-150 million people in the U.S. lack dental care, many dentists recommend more preventative dental treatment. The divide between rich and poor is also highlighted from a psychological perspective in the film. Perfect teeth are associated with class and power, and white teeth suggest cleanliness, youth, and good health. The availability of whitening products and cosmetic dentistry allows us to buy a perfect smile buy purchasing whiter, straighter teeth. Bombarded with media images of perfect smiles on everyone from celebrities to news anchors, anything but straight, white teeth may be seen as abnormal. Apparently people are buying into it—according to the film; the tooth whitening market has increased 300% over the past 5 years. And beyond the bright white smile, some people are buying gold or diamond-plated removable grills. Worn over the teeth, custom-fitted grills are associated with money, power, and respect in the hip-hop culture.

Recommended for general audiences, Teeth provides interesting perspectives on the affects of commercial images and consumer culture on our perceptions of a smile.