“Why Do Americans Have Pretty Teeth?” -- Bloomberg, 2018, 4:22 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySgHm9sq6ug

Why do we think blindingly-white teeth are beautiful? And how do standards for smiles disadvantage the lower classes?

Americans spend the most money on their teeth on a global basis. However, they do not have the healthiest teeth and do not even make the top-10 list of countries with the lowest average amount of dental fillings. Like many modern fashions, we have Hollywood to thank for the pressure to have perfect smiles and pearly-whites. Nevertheless, the high cost of dentistry has kept most Americans from receiving the oral care they need.

From the video’s description: Cosmetic dentistry has taken over the world. Having perfect teeth shouts success, but where did all begin? Well, Hollywood of course. In this episode of Then This Happened, learn about the one dentist who was more influential than any other in creating the movie star smile.