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Dr. Alan Slootsky D.M.D, M.A.G.D., F.A.C.D. Restorative Dentistry / Oral Health February 8, 2016 |
Recent studies show that the English may actually have better dental health than we do.
The subject of British teeth has been the subject of satire in the United States pop culture for a long time now. 
However there is a new study that may bust this stereotype and give the British something to smile about. The research from this study shows that the British oral health may actually be good or even better than the oral health in the United States. While oral health may be equal or better, Americans still spend more time on dental cosmetics like getting their teeth straightened or whitening any discoloration on their teeth.
The co-author of the study Richard Watt, head of dental public health and professor at the University College London in England, states that for decades now it has been a popular belief in the U.S. that Americans have far better teeth than the English. A perfect example of this is the “grotesque smile” that Mike Myers wears in the “Austin Powers” movies. But there was never previous research done to look into the truth behind these stereotypes. Watts said the results they received showed that Americans don’t always have better teeth than the English. They actually had significantly more missing teeth.
This study was published in the December 16th issue of BMJ. Researchers compared data from nearly 16,000 English and 19,000 Americans that was collected by the English Adult Dental Health Survey and the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
They found that American adults had a higher average number of missing teeth that of British adults, 7.31 versus 6.97. This difference was found most in people between the ages of 25 and 64 years of age. Americans lost an average of almost one extra tooth than the English. But for those over the age of 65, British seniors lost an average of 13 teeth, while Americans lost just fewer than 12 teeth on average. Older British adults were also more likely to say that poor oral health had affected their daily life in a negative way. They experienced pain, had trouble eating, didn’t feel like smiling as much and/or their social life was negatively impacted in some way.
This study also showed that the wealthier and more educated Americans had better overall oral health than the British equivalents. But the poor and less educated British people had a better dental status than those in lower class of America. American oral health appeared to be more broadly unequal across the socioeconomic spectrum.
Why these differences exist is not exactly clear. Watt did speculate that the economics inequalities in the States are greater that they are in the U.K. and this may have an effect on dental health care. It should also be noted that the British National Health Service makes sure that the majority of British citizens are insured for dental care, while many Americans may have no dental coverage. Another key player in the difference could be the difference in the amount of sugar consumed and smoking habits of each country.
One other aspect of dental care that the English don’t look too much into is on the cosmetic side. Americans address the problems with their appearance more than they do with what caused the problem. We should be focusing more on prevention of dental damage. Instead of going to the dentist out of need, more Americans are going out of want, says Watt. Americans need to focus more on regular dental health instead of cosmetic dentistry. But this could also benefit Americans, because the want for a better smile allows more contact with your dentist. And the younger generation may have less of a fear for going to the dentist.
For further information about this topic, or any other dental topic, contact Dr Slootsky at info@drslootsky.com, or call 954-972-1000. Dr. Alan Slootsky is a dentist in Pompano Beach, Florida dedicated to bringing patients state-of-the-art dental care. As a cosmetic, family andrestorative dentist, he helps patients enjoy a natural and healthy smile. Dr. Slootsky has integrated a friendly, hands-on gentle approach with highly accurate and patient-sensitive technologies and tools to both identify and resolve problems in a timely and efficient manner. We know most people don’t like to visit the dentist. That’s why we make every effort to make your experience both as effective and as pleasant as possible.