Dentistry around the Globe Dental care and the picture perfect smile is valued and sough after in some countries while in others the mouth becomes something that is not part of the body and oral health is not considered as part of overall health. The media has altered the world’s views on what it means to be attractive and, now that includes having a white, appealing smile. Dental treatments around the world have grown to be expensive for both developed and developing countries. The costs are anywhere from 5-10 per cent of the total of health expenditures in some developed and industrialized countries and they are only increasing. The treatment of oral disease is the fourth most expensive disease to treat, mostly due to the lifestyles and
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The people of wealthier nations, with higher GDP’s, will spend thousands of dollars for dental care that is not necessary for every day life; rather the smile is more for aesthetic reasons. While on the other side of the globe developing countries around the world such as, Sierra Leone and Tanzania, cannot even afford the seven US dollars that it takes to fund a simple, yet essential, package of health services (Sheiham “Developing” 3). Due to the increased expenses and the lack of funding for dental services around the world, some have began to view the mouth as something that does not belong to the human body and cannot affect overall being and health. In reality, oral health has been linked to overall health and if the mouth is not taken care of, and maintained healthy, the body can begin to dwindle away. But, smile aesthetics have taken over the globe. No matter the expense people are willing to pay for the picture perfect, ‘Hollywood’, …show more content…
But due to the media and the changing view of what beauty truly is has given people unreasonable need for he perfect smile. Improved appearance is tied to an enhanced smile. A dazzling, pearly white, smile can make one seem younger and is often associated with positive attributes, such as good health, hygiene, and success (Theobald 58). Many dentists today have a patient, at least once a day, that shows them a picture of a person from a popular media site, and asks for a smile just like theirs. This thought process has proven dangerous, due to people asking for impossible dental treatments, obtainable only with a large sum of money. Dental offices have seen an increase in the request for teeth whitening trays, whether it is at home trays or surgical whitening. Veneers have also become increasingly popular and the profits of dentists have increased as the media has stressed the importance of a straight, white, and flawless smile (Theobald 59). Smile aesthetics have become so important that people take everything into consideration. In today’s world, tooth size, shape, color, and position, are not the only things that make a smile perfect. The gingiva, or gums, of the mouth have to be barely visible and the lips have to be big enough to cover the gum line, eliminating what is referred to as a, ‘gummy’ smile (Loi
The people of wealthier nations, with higher GDP’s, will spend thousands of dollars for dental care that is not necessary for every day life; rather the smile is more for aesthetic reasons. While on the other side of the globe developing countries around the world such as, Sierra Leone and Tanzania, cannot even afford the seven US dollars that it takes to fund a simple, yet essential, package of health services (Sheiham “Developing” 3). Due to the increased expenses and the lack of funding for dental services around the world, some have began to view the mouth as something that does not belong to the human body and cannot affect overall being and health. In reality, oral health has been linked to overall health and if the mouth is not taken care of, and maintained healthy, the body can begin to dwindle away. But, smile aesthetics have taken over the globe. No matter the expense people are willing to pay for the picture perfect, ‘Hollywood’, …show more content…
But due to the media and the changing view of what beauty truly is has given people unreasonable need for he perfect smile. Improved appearance is tied to an enhanced smile. A dazzling, pearly white, smile can make one seem younger and is often associated with positive attributes, such as good health, hygiene, and success (Theobald 58). Many dentists today have a patient, at least once a day, that shows them a picture of a person from a popular media site, and asks for a smile just like theirs. This thought process has proven dangerous, due to people asking for impossible dental treatments, obtainable only with a large sum of money. Dental offices have seen an increase in the request for teeth whitening trays, whether it is at home trays or surgical whitening. Veneers have also become increasingly popular and the profits of dentists have increased as the media has stressed the importance of a straight, white, and flawless smile (Theobald 59). Smile aesthetics have become so important that people take everything into consideration. In today’s world, tooth size, shape, color, and position, are not the only things that make a smile perfect. The gingiva, or gums, of the mouth have to be barely visible and the lips have to be big enough to cover the gum line, eliminating what is referred to as a, ‘gummy’ smile (Loi