Serious question, have our teeth become a new status symbol?
“But I didn’t notice you had bad teeth before?” is the reaction I get whenever I tell people I’ve had cosmetic work to my smile. The truth is, no, I didn’t. However, I wanted an even whiter, straighter, bigger set of teeth than I had before - and I’m far from alone.
You might have noticed that recently everyone seems to have pearlier teeth. From teeth-straightening aligners to pricey porcelain veneers, you'd be hard pressed to find someone, especially in my industry, that hasn't had at least some dental work done in the quest for 'better' teeth.
But is this shift towards a perfectly-imperfect smile causing increased pressures and impacting perceptions of our social status? Reflecting after almost three years of having my teeth done, I become more curious about how this has impacted the overall perception of me from others and myself. As a nation of ‘bad teeth’, we’ve (the collective ‘we’, of course doesn’t mean everyone) become quite fixated on ‘fixing’ our teeth.
The cosmetic dentistry is changing at a rapid rate, no longer just stuck on the options of train-track braces and 'Turkey teeth', but are the burgeoning options improving confidence? With the idea of 'good' teeth once only accessible to the Hollywood elite, how have options and accessibility impacted the perception of teeth and self-image?
The Zoom boom
In the past few years - many dentists noted the biggest shift being since COVID-19 - the dental industry has moved away from traditional oral health alone and far more towards aesthetic and preventative care. Worth 220 million in 2023 with an almost 5% growth projected over the next 5 years, it’s clear that we care far more about our teeth from a cosmetic standpoint than ever before.
There are two reasons that the dentists I spoke to believe that the pandemic had an impact on the way people approach their teeth now. The first - from a cosmetic standpoint - is the ‘Zoom boom’, “where constant video calls during the pandemic led people to notice details about their appearance - especially their smiles - that they might have previously overlooked,” explains Dr Rhona Eskander, founder of Chelsea Dental Clinic.
The second is an overall heightened awareness of health and wellness. It’s no surprise that a time of devastating global illness made us more health-conscious than ever. “This shift reflects a broader awareness of the impact of dental health on overall wellness,” says Dr Brandon Nejati, founder of Nejati Clinic.
“The wellness industry has also boomed since [the pandemic]; people are looking after themselves more, whether that’s going to the gym, eating healthier, getting their hair done, looking into wellness therapies and biohacking treatments, as well as aesthetic treatments, and I do feel like our teeth tap into that,” adds Dr Krystyna Wilczynski, cosmetic dentist and facial aesthetician. As much as we wish it didn’t operate in such a way, our teeth can have a direct impact on our opportunities in the world.
As a result, the pool of people seeking cosmetic dental treatments has increased. “While higher-income individuals still represent a significant portion of those seeking these therapies, we are indeed seeing a growing interest from middle-income groups who view dental care as a valuable, long-term investment,” explains Dr Nejati. You might have also noticed people on social chatting about the presence of ‘normal teeth’ in old movies; highlighting that the majority of Hollywood has a flawless smile today.
It’s important to note that cosmetic dentistry is a notably different place than NHS dentists, where getting registered at a dental practice is in a dire state (with dentists being stretched and suffering terribly), particularly in cities and smaller towns, with over 8,000 people reported waiting in January 2024. This has only increased the divide between those who can afford private cosmetic dental care and those unable to receive care at all.
Moving away from perfection
With this shift in approach to dentistry, preventative care is a big part of treatments. Dr Eskander explains that the past 5 years has seen a “rapid advancement in cosmetic dental technology”, resulting in more effective and less invasive procedures. “For example, minimal-prep contact lens veneers offer a subtle yet impactful way to enhance a smile without extensive drilling, which appeals to those who want a conservative, natural-looking improvement,” she says. Dr Nejati noted the same with patients seeking treatments that “go beyond traditional dentistry to address early signs of ageing, wear and aesthetic [goals].”
The Nejati Clinic notes its signature micro-layering treatment (think of it a little like balayage for your teeth) being one of the most popular treatments with the aim of seamlessly enhancing each tooth’s shape and colour, resulting in a “youthful, natural smile that preserves the character of the original teeth.” Unlike more invasive (albeit necessary) dentistry, cosmetic dentistry’s popular treatments focus on alignment, composite bonding and whitening, says Dr Wilczynski, which, similar to facial aesthetics, looks at the teeth as a part of your face as a whole, taking into account “harmony proportion and facial symmetry.”
Dr Wilczynski notes that this subtle, impactful transformation has resulted in cosmetic dentistry as a whole being less taboo. People are more comfortable talking about what they've had ‘done’, similar to how the aesthetics industry shifted. In fact, overwhelmingly patients are using ‘Turkey Teeth’ as a reference of what they don’t want.
This marks a significant shift in cosmetic dental work focusing on healthier, ‘better’ teeth and what this means and looks like for the individual. However, even this move has powerful implications on our perceived social status.
'Good' teeth = better status?
So, we’ve moved away from ‘perfect’ teeth and moved into a space where we want to enhance our smile to appear as the healthiest version of ourselves. On the one hand, this is brilliant for dentists as it means patients are being more sensible with their oral health and being active in preventative care, which has positive health implications. Cosmetic dentistry is also increasingly being democratised with payment plans available and clinics expanding beyond the capital city.
But on the other hand, this rise in popularity of subtle enhancements can also subtly increase pressure for people to achieve a perfectly-imperfect beauty standard. Particularly poignant during a time where even traditional dentistry is difficult for people to access and people’s purses are squeezed due to the increasing cost of living.
The appearance of one’s teeth can have huge implications on confidence; often deeply rooted in self-image and even childhood. “It’s great that more people are going for the effortlessly natural look, moving us away from the idea that perfection is the goal. But this shift can also create a paradox of choice, where the pressure to get a ‘natural’ smile still leaves some feeling like theirs aren’t good enough,” explains Tasha Bailey, psychotherapist and author of Real Talk. Kamalyn Kaur, psychotherapist, echoes this, adding: “This divide deepens existing inequalities, fostering social divisions where oral health and aesthetics influence opportunities and self-image differently across socioeconomic backgrounds. Bailey also makes an excellent point about the lack of representation of imperfect teeth, even with increased body diversity in the media.
There’s also a notable difference in private dental clinics. The focus on welcoming, calming luxury interiors in many top London clinics is something I’ve come to love. It’s changed my relationship to visiting the dentist, which, in my opinion, can only be a great thing.
For me, having whitening and composite veneers - done by the talented and incredibly thoughtful Dr Eskander back in 2021 - marked a significant shift in my confidence. I was born without many adult teeth, resulting in tiny baby teeth (yep, I still have some of my baby teeth) and lots of gaps. Do I think it changed my social status? Overtly, no. But subconsciously, perhaps yes. I hold myself differently, I smile more, I’m more confident in my work (particularly when I have to be on camera). I’m aware of what a hugely privileged place my experience comes from and how I, myself, could be perpetuating the idea of ‘fixing’ teeth that, beyond cosmetics, were fine in the first place.
However, I don’t think my experience marks one driven by confidence issues. It’s one that, actually, has meant my approach to oral health is more proactive. Chelsea Dental Clinic, where I go, is warm, supportive and a joy to visit. I invest money in both the condition and appearance of my teeth. But I completely understand that this can perpetuate the comparison pool getting bigger. “As humans we tend to measure our self-worth by how much we socially compare ourselves to others. And with more people using cosmetic dentistry, we have so many more people in our regular lives to compare ourselves with,” says Bailey. Despite more people leaning into cosmetic dentistry, Bailey makes a simple yet powerful distinction: “Fixing our appearance doesn’t tackle the deeper insecurities we have about ourselves to begin with.”
Our teeth are becoming more interlinked with our overall ‘aesthetics’ than ever before. This comes with clear positives and drawbacks. The takeaway, which Kaur put perfectly: “Cosmetic dentistry should only be pursued if it genuinely aligns with your own needs and desires.”
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