How do Americans keep their teeth so white? Is it the fluoride in your water?

[Deathknightish]

Whenever I've seen someone with completely white teeth, it has been an American. I have been absolutely amazed.

I have good dental hygiene. My dentist always compliments me, and I rarely have cavities, but even then AND brushing with an electric toothbrush morning and evening, my teeth are more towards the yellow side than blank white.

I heard that there is fluoride in the American water systems (but unlike the tinfoil hats I don't believe it's dangerous or meant to make people sick and reliant on big pharma). Since fluoride is good for your teeth, is that the reason? I don't think we have that in our drinking water here.

[shadowmouse]

"General Jack D. Ripper: Mandrake, do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk... ice cream. Ice cream, Mandrake, children's ice cream. Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: Lord, Jack. General Jack D. Ripper: You know when fluoridation first began? Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: I... no, no. I don't, Jack. General Jack D. Ripper: Nineteen hundred and forty-six. 1946, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It's incredibly obvious, isn't it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual. Certainly without any choice. That's the way your hard-core Commie works."

[Temp name]

Have you heard of this new product called bleach?

[muto]

Probably Veneers.

[KOUNTERPARTS]

Your threads are hilariously weird.

[Nihilist74]

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"General Jack D. Ripper: Mandrake, do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk... ice cream. Ice cream, Mandrake, children's ice cream. Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: Lord, Jack. General Jack D. Ripper: You know when fluoridation first began? Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: I... no, no. I don't, Jack. General Jack D. Ripper: Nineteen hundred and forty-six. 1946, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It's incredibly obvious, isn't it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual. Certainly without any choice. That's the way your hard-core Commie works."

I love Dr Strangelove, such a great movie!

[Twdft]

"teeth" lol

The unnatural white teeth you see on TV are not their real teeth

[Coolthulhu]

I have good dental hygiene. My dentist always compliments me, and I rarely have cavities, but even then AND brushing with an electric toothbrush morning and evening, my teeth are more towards the yellow side than blank white.

My dentist instructed me to brush my teeth properly (it's not that intuitive, kind of like washing one's hand properly as the pandemic taught us) and after each meal, or at least use a mouthwash if a toothbrush isn't handy, and my teeth are commercial-white with just a yearly ultrasound treatment, I don't use whitening toothpaste either and I've never had cavities. Most of the people I know have white teeth too, those who don't stand out to me because they're not the norm. I'm European, by the way.

[Deathknightish]

My dentist instructed me to brush my teeth properly (it's not that intuitive, kind of like washing one's hand properly as the pandemic taught us) and after each meal, or at least use a mouthwash if a toothbrush isn't handy, and my teeth are commercial-white with just a yearly ultrasound treatment, I don't use whitening toothpaste either and I've never had cavities. Most of the people I know have white teeth too, those who don't stand out to me because they're not the norm. I'm European, by the way.

Do you drink coffee? I drink a lot of coffee so probably why.

Never heard about brushing or washing after each meal, just morning and evening. Guess it's too late for me now but nice tip!

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Your threads are hilariously weird.

I know. I'm a curious guy who likes to learn. If there's something I don't know I must find out the hows and whys! Always been like that.

[TigTone]

It is Veneers. Fake teeth glued on top of real teeth.

And some people whitening their teeth with chemicals but they usually have the consequences of making your enamel thinner and teeth more sensitive to temperature.

[Coolthulhu]

Do you drink coffee? I drink a lot of coffee so probably why.

Never heard about brushing or washing after each meal, just morning and evening. Guess it's too late for me now but nice tip!

Disclaimer: this is not medical advice, it's merely reporting what my dentist had me do since I was a child.
Yes, I drink lots of coffee, tea and red whine, all of which significantly stain your teeth. Washing your mouth with water after drinking any of those will go a long way (careful with chlorhexidine-based mouthwashes, they might exacerbate the issue instead of alleviating it, this is the reason for using just water or non-staining mouthwashes).
The reason for brushing your teeth after each meal instead of just twice a day at arbitrary times (usually before going to bed and when waking up) is because bacteria start to replicate fast within 10 to 15 minutes after eating, and you don't want them to build up unhindered for hours each day. That's the TL;DR my dentist gave me at least. Can't say I'm unhappy with the results.
I wouldn't say it's necessarily too late for you either, whitening treatments (usually a mixture of ultra-sound and extremely high-pressure water jets, and some manual "scraping" if tartar built up strongly enough) can work miracles, I've seen it first hand - one of my exes went from having really bad yellow teeth to pearly white after one such treatment. Consider asking another dentist if yours deems having yellow teeth acceptable.

[Endus]

Human teeth are not naturally pure white. They're more of a cream color. Pure white teeth is as natural as having green hair with purple streaks in it.

[Grimbold21]

White supremacy

[PC2]

Since fluoride is good for your teeth, is that the reason?

Dunno, I think it's just because we're slightly vain and judgemental when it comes to teeth. Even in highschool my teeth were a normal shade but my parents got me a teeth tray and whitening gel which made them whiter. It worked fine, no issues. I haven't used them in a decade because it seemed unnecessary.

[Mihalik]

It's a cultural thing.

There's a strong social pressure yo have very white teeth, so people use bleaching products, veneers etc.

We spend quite a bit on "dental hygiene" that has jack all to do with dental hygiene.

Keeping my teeth white has been a lifelong struggle as I have naturally well positioned teeth, but also a medical condition that causes my teeth to basically fall apart no matter how well I take care of them.

I'm 36 and half my teeth are already implants. I expect to have none of my own teeth left by my mid 50s.

[Hellobolis]

I don't think they do any dental hygiene routine to keep them white. It's just very common to have a dentist whiten them for you.

I hear similar things regarding make-up and haircut, a lot more socially mandatory in the US than where i live. along with forced fake smiling when taking to people, etc.

Just a cultural difference. (though you can argue overdoing these things is unhealthy)

[Forogil]

Never heard about brushing or washing after each meal, just morning and evening. Guess it's too late for me now but nice tip!

Don't brush the teeth directly after the meal without consulting your dentist. At least mine recommended that you wait 20-30 minutes since otherwise the acids from the meal would combine with the brushing to grind down your teeth.

[kamuimac]

Whenever I've seen someone with completely white teeth, it has been an American. I have been absolutely amazed.

I have good dental hygiene. My dentist always compliments me, and I rarely have cavities, but even then AND brushing with an electric toothbrush morning and evening, my teeth are more towards the yellow side than blank white.

I heard that there is fluoride in the American water systems (but unlike the tinfoil hats I don't believe it's dangerous or meant to make people sick and reliant on big pharma). Since fluoride is good for your teeth, is that the reason? I don't think we have that in our drinking water here.

a) regular removal of " teeth stone " in hygenist office
b) whitening every couple of years .
c) you dont have to live in US to know that its important how others percive your teeths

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Honestly dental hygiene is just a rather big thing in the USA. I brush my teeth 3 times a day. After breakfast, after lunch (even at work), and after dinner. Then I go to the dentist for a professional cleaning 2 times a year. I rinse with mouthwash a good bit too. This is pretty common with at least the people I know.

But if you are using like TV, movies, or professional pictures as your base than you are probably looking at either edited pictures that brighten them or these people have had cosmetic work done to make them look that way. They do this because.. well.. dental hygiene is a pretty big thing in the USA. But it is kind of unnaturally so with people in these fields of work for the camera.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Grab a couple hundred bucks, put it into the palms of your dentist and tell them you want 'em white. They'll jump for joy and make it happen.