Allure
The History of the Big, Bright American Smile
Straight white teeth have transformed into a commodity object — and a sparkling beacon of inequality. How America became the number-one exporter of smiles in the world.
This story is a part of Show Your Teeth, a package in which Allure examines dental care (or lack thereof) in the U.S. and what we can do at home to better care for our teeth.
It happens every day and usually more than once: When a person wishes to signify greetings, gratitude, admiration, or otherwise good or chill vibes, they peel back their lips and reveal two rows of about 32 mineral-coated nerve fibers, embedded in pink tissue, strung with sparkling threads of saliva.