Why do so many Brits have bad teeth?

This is not a criticism, it is merely an observation and a question. As I view an abundance of documentaries on Netflix, I've noticed how many Brits on those docs have crooked and/or stained, missing teeth. Does the national health service not cover dentistry? Is there no such thing as orthodontics in the UK? Or, are Americans just overly concerned about how their teeth look?

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SW-User

Why do so many Russians have bad teeth?.. teeth are not a priority for the Russians.. it's funny you pick on the Brits teeth.. the Russians have way worse teeth.. even some models have teeth that are gammy.

LedRobster · 61-69, M

Okay, fine, Russians too.

SW-User

@LedRobster: Russians have bad teeth on purpose..

LedRobster · 61-69, M

So, Americans are unusual with their preoccupation with straight, white teeth?

LedRobster · 61-69, M

@MightyAphrodite: How so? Why would anyone want bad teeth on purpose?

SW-User

@LedRobster: They just don't care enough to spend the time and money to have pearly whites.. It's not an issue or hangup for them..
and yes.. American's seem to have an unusual preoccupation with very straight and very white teeth.. it's almost bizarre 😨

LedRobster · 61-69, M

@MightyAphrodite: Yes. I agree with you. But Americans can be very bizarre.

SW-User

@LedRobster: yes.. they can be.. .

LedRobster · 61-69, M

@LedRobster: On the other hand, perhaps we can correlate the fall of the British Empire with crooked teeth? LOL.

SW-User

@LedRobster: that's what happened..& wasn't there wooden teeth at some stage?

LedRobster · 61-69, M

@MightyAphrodite: I must say that it may take me awhile to get over your statement that Russian models have gammy teeth. But I guess I asked for it.

SW-User

@LedRobster: I was friends with one, she told me herself, that Russians won't pay to have the gap in their teeth fixed... that they don't care about such things..
They'd need to have pretty bad teeth for them to deal with them.

LedRobster · 61-69, M

@MightyAphrodite: Yes. George Washington had false wooden teeth and he was representative of the bourgeoisie class of early America. (Maybe we can make this a class-consciousness discussion?)