Japanese (and Korean) Teeth

[Mulboyne]

A survey conducted by toothpaste maker, Sunstar, awarded "Most Attractive Teeth" top prizes to Nanako Matsushima And Shinjo.
In 2nd place for men was Korean heart-throb "Yon-sama" followed by Sanma. In the women's category, Misaki Ito tied with Norika Fujiwara for 2nd and Tomoko Yamaguchi claimed 3rd place. Kahoku Link (Japanese)

[Mulboyne]

British Teeth: My, what crooked teeth we have

The ragged British smile is notorious throughout the world. And now that NHS orthodontics are set to be rationed, things can only get worse. But it's never too late to get your mouth in order
"Crooked", "manky" and "yellowing" are words commonly used to describe the state of British teeth. In America the stereotype has gone so far that it has become commonplace for dentists to describe those with dental abnormalities or imperfections as having an "English mouth". The state of our teeth has even been used in the American cartoon, The Simpson's, to demonstrate what can happen if you don't follow a strict dental regime.
In one episode a dentist tries to encourage Bart's sister Lisa to wear her orthodontic brace by showing her a copy of "The Big Book of British Smiles". It is filled with pictures of Brits with horribly crooked and decaying teeth, there is even a picture of someone who looks not unlike Prince Charles. To our friends across the Atlantic we seem to be the centre of dental ridicule, a population of Austin Powers look-a-likes with wonky, criss-crossed teeth.

[Steve Bildermann]

Hi there

[dimwit]

The teeth on that peckerwood look suspiciously like the dollar shop variety.

[mr. sparkle]

Behold! It's the Big Book of British Smiles

[Socratesabroad]

Mmmm, Nanako Matsushima....

Stirs my fond memories of GTO, the TV series, not the manga...

[Taro Toporific]

Behold! It's the Big Book of British Smiles

VAMPIRE?

[emperor]

VAMPIRE?

Predator?

[Mulboyne]

Sanma and Tomoko Yamaguchi get a lot of respect for their teeth from cartoonists

[Taro Toporific]

Japan starts to get down in the mouth over its crooked teeth
Financial Times - 11 Jan
Many Japanese women have the habit of demurely covering their mouth with one hand when they giggle. To the casual observer, the gesture appears to be just another manifestation of the rigid politeness for which Japan is famed..."The Japanese have much poorer oral conditions than not only westerners but people in less economically developed nations," says Dr Kazumi Ikeda, an orthodontist who has practised in Tokyo for more than 20 years......more...

[Samurai_Jerk]

I need to print this out and show it to some of my Japanese students who think I'm just Japan bashing when I say their dentists are shit.

[FG Lurker]

When I first came to Japan in 1993 I taught English. One of my students was drop-dead gorgeous... Until she smiled. OMG her teeth were TERRIBLE! Even by Japanese standards. She was about 20, but a lot of her teeth were black or otherwise discolored, and of course not a straight tooth in her mouth. One of the worst I have seen, even after 10 years in Japan.

Fast forward a couple of years...

I finished my stint on a Working Holiday Visa, went back to Canada, and then came back to Japan in mid 1995. I got together with a bunch of ex-students for dinner, one of them being her.

She was just as beautiful as I remembered...and her teeth were perfect!! I guess she'd had them all pulled and replaced with ceramic. What could I say?? I wanted to complement her, but it's not something you can really do...

I hate to think how much that cost her parents. Definitely the best cosmetic surgery I've seen though!

[Mulboyne]