Bad teeth

[Anon778833]

A male friend of mine in his early 30s has horribly uneven teeth. Not just a little uneven - so bad that they are all brown where he can't clean them properly.

He wonders why he can't find a girlfriend. I don't understand why he wouldn't get his teeth straightened. He has loads of money so it's not because he can't afford it. I have suggested to him that getting them fixed could help to which he replied 'oh no I'm not paying for that'.

I am well aware that I will possibly get flamed for this but AIBU to think that straight teeth are very important in life? I'm from an age group when we all had NHS braces at school. There were very few of us who didnt have them.

Ds had to expand and realign his jaw with twin block braces to make space to align the teeth with wires. Had he not still been growing , even by late teens, he would have needed jaw surgery to do this. He still has retainers for life. It is not something to undertake lightly unless there is a functional issue. The braces like Smile you see advertised are cosmetic and would not be sufficient.

You need to go away and educate yourself op.

Dirty teeth are unpleasant and there isn't much of an excuse.

But as for straight teeth I think you are shallow and judgemental. Not everyone was taken to the dentist so not 'everyone' got braces as a child.

Adult braces can cost thousands of pounds, can require jaw surgery and be very difficult to treat for complex cases.

Even for growing children, orthodontic treatment isn't always straightforward.

There are also medical conditions that can make teeth look dirty.

What about suggesting an electric tooth brush to him? The heads tend to be smaller so easier to get into small gaps.

Dental imperfections don't bother me. Some people get lucky,other spend a lot of money to correct them etc. Other prioritise other things more than costly dental treatments which I fully understand. The fear of dentist is strong also.

However, bad hygiene is a turn off and so is being tight. His attitude is probably a bigger issue than his teeth.

You've given him the advice and if he ignores it, there's little else you can do.

Perhaps I am 'shallow and judgemental'. When I was a child, everyone said that it was important to have straight teeth and that it also helps you to get a job never mind a partner.. I had my braces for 2 years. I also know a lot of people who've had braces as adults. None of us have had surgery or complications and I think that for most people it's straightforward.