Why Do Brits Have Bad Teeth? British Stereotypes Explained!

47,008 views ・ 2022-03-28

English Like A Native


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

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Hello, today I’m gonna teach you some vocabulary while diving deep into
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a common British stereotype.
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British teeth are often the butt of the joke, especially in the USA.
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From gags on Family Guy to Austin Powers famously crooked and stained set of gnashers,
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oral health in the UK is internationally renowned for all the wrong reasons.
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You might remember an episode of, The Simpson’s, which saw a dentist strike fear into poor
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little Ralph Wiggum by showing him, “The Big Book of British Smiles”, a picture book
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of famous faces like Prince Charles and Sherlock Holmes, all with gappy, wonky and let’s
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be honest, terrifying teeth.
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We are going to explore where this stereotype comes from?
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But first, if this is your first time here and you are interested in learning real English
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in a fun and engaging way, click subscribe, and if you are returning, welcome back.
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Hang on to the end where I will explain some of the fan-toothy-tastic vocabulary you are
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about to hear.
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Now, our stereotypically bad teeth.
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Historically speaking, it’s probably true that Brits didn’t have the best set of chompers.
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In fact, in 1978 around a third of the British population had fake teeth.
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Before the National Health Service (the NHS) was founded, our poor teeth were largely neglected.
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Bad diets, poverty, and lack of access to health care all contributed to the lack of pearly
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whites in the U.K.
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Different perspectives on oral hygiene also probably contribute to this stereotype.
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Generally speaking, there is more concern about teeth being aesthetically appealing
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in the USA than in the UK.
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You’ll see many British celebrities move to the U.S. and shortly afterwards they’ll
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be spotted with a brand new Hollywood smile.
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David Bowie, for example, transformed his famous smile for a set of perfectly aligned
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and whitened teeth after moving to the U.S. Some famous Brits however, reject the Hollywood
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smile.
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Actor, comedian and writer, Ricky Gervais was once asked by a reporter "what it was like
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to wear horrible-looking fake teeth for his role in the film Ghost Town", only
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to horrify the journalist by admitting that they were his real teeth!
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Now let’s get down to the facts.
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British teeth are, without a doubt, in a much better state than they were in the past.
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However, how are they in comparison to our friends across the pond?
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A 2015 study entitled, and I’m not joking, Austin Powers Bites Back, found that not only
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is oral health in the UK just as good as in the USA, in some cases it’s better.
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Yeah, baby!
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The study found that Americans have more missing teeth than Brits and that there is more inequality
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within oral healthcare in the US.
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Of course, staunch critics of British teeth would argue that the study has its limitations,
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and perhaps it does.
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But, what is clear, is that the stereotype of British people having bad teeth is no longer
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true.
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So, Brits, show off your gnashers with pride!
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Groovy teeth, baby!
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Now to get a good glimpse of my pearly whites hit that like button…
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Let’s revise some vocabulary and phrases from today’s video.
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If you refer to someone or something as the butt of the joke, you’re saying that they’re
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the target of the joke.
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“I’m sick of being the butt of the joke.
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Stop making fun of me!”
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Gnashers is an informal way to refer to teeth.
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Notice the silent G there.
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Gnashers!
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“I’m off to the dentist to get my gnashers checked!”
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You can also use pearly whites when referring to a person's teeth.
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“Check out her pearly whites!”
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The phrase “across the pond” refers the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, usually
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the United States.
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“I’m finally moving across the pond.
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It’s always been my dream to live in the US.”
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Staunch is an adjective which means to be very loyal and committed, “He is a staunch
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supporter of animal rights.”
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A “Hollywood smile” refers to teeth which have been altered to look whiter and perfectly
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aligned.
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“The first thing he did when he moved to L.A. was to get himself a brand new Hollywood smile."
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If you enjoyed today's video then I highly recommend that you take a look at this one.
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Because this is right up your street, or rather it's your cup of tea....you'll like it, take a look.
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