Would you date someone with missing teeth?

[Claddinghell]

Went on a date with a really nice guy. Ticked boxes and was attracted to him. However he had teeth missing. His top front tooth and few teeth towards the front. Very noticeable, but the cresting his teeth were white a like after. His pictures online had no pictures showing his teeth.

I told him a story of a tooth abscess during lockdown 1 when everything was closed. Told him that I had to get massive repair when everything opened. Thought this might provoke a conversation on his teeth. Sort of I had an accident they are getting fixed. But nothing.

My teeth are not the best and I do have a back tooth missing due to injury with a cherry pip and failed root canal.

Wouid you continue to date. It’s really noticeable

My wife has a visible tooth missing.. I absolutely love it. I mean she's a very pretty woman, and it gives her a tough looking edge I find quite sexy. Her mother was horrified that she didn't have it fixed, she saw it as "looking poor".

It would be a no from me, for a new relationship if it was front / visible teeth. I find it really uncomfortable to look at (sorry to anyone in this position), likewise teeth that are visibly looking bad (receding gums, brown etc). I'm sorry if that makes me shallow it just would stop me being attracted to someone

No.

I wonder how many people have refused to date NHL players because of their missing teeth.

@Rewis

I wonder how many people have refused to date NHL players because of their missing teeth.

An NHL player is likely to have a very good dental plan in place despite the missing teeth.

And speaking as both Canadian and a major NHL fan, it’s not even remotely as common as you appear to be suggesting.

Most of them have a full set gnashes, perhaps not the ‘fighters’ and even then it’s rare to be missing many.

I would. Though, I do find a rugged man with a chipped tooth quite a turn on...

I think a gap in an otherwise decent set of teeth is one thing, but a mouthful of visibly rotten and broken/holey teeth is another thing entirely. I couldn't deal with the latter.

Not me but a few years ago I worked with an man who was separated from his wife and he started seeing someone in the office. He was a good looking man but had a front tooth missing and she was very superficial and into looks. Not long after they started dating his tooth was replaced presumably at her insistence!

I did date for ages a man who’d had all or most of his teeth knocked out in a fight at a bar with a bar stool! They looked good, not the tombstone teeth you see now with veneers etc but you could see they looked more perfect than most people’s teeth! Good old NHS eh?! You could tell they were “false”.

I had a crown since I was 9 as a front tooth got knocked out and due to movement (after the proper experience permanent one was fitted) it looked grey at the top, almost like a pencil line. I’m getting it replaced after years as it’s run it’s course and already the Maryland bridge and temporary implant look much better than the old one. It’ll be finished in July this year. No one ever mentioned it to me though.

I wouldn’t not date a man with missing teeth but I’d wonder why he hadn’t got them fixed, especially if he had the money to do so.

@Quincythequince I'm also from a hockey nation and it was meant to be a tongue in cheek comment. I did check online (not sure of the reliability of the research) and 85% is missing a tooth or more. I'm fully aware that they have a good dental and they have plates or other solutions when not in the rink. But in post game interviews they are missing their teeth. But do people think they are unattractive? Or is that sexy when you're a millionaire? Some responses here indicate that implants is not good enough solution because its the perosns own fault to not have teeth.

I think anyone is allowed to have whatever as a turn off. I'm just against the weird assumptions for the reason why teeth are missing and what that supposedly tells about a person.

Lots of replies and opinions. Some nice done nasty.

It was a first date. I couldn’t ask him hence why I told my story about my lockdown teeth woes.

He has a really good job in healthcare , so would think he might have some savings to get it fixed.

It wouldn’t bother me if he had a false tooth or plate. But an obviously missing tooth.

I should ask really

@ZealAndArdour

Yeah, I couldn’t date someone with obvious missing teeth, or just dirty/bad conditioned teeth in general. It’s a fundamental aspect of personal hygiene and taking adult responsibility for one’s health.

Why are you assuming all dental issues and/or missing teeth are related to poor dental hygiene? There are many reasons why this could happen including several which have nothing to do with poor hygiene.

Sadly not everyone will have a spare few grand per tooth spare to repair damage after accidents, chemotherapy, infections, etc.

I once worked in a place where the restaurant owner was interviewing staff. He turned a woman down because of her bad teeth, although she was an ideal candidate.

He wondered why she’d spend so much on her hair, clothes and makeup and think her teeth weren’t important. And said she frighten the customers off!!

Like it or not looks do matter at work too!

Fair enough Rewis, although it wasn’t obvious from the post.

NHL players, if missing a tooth would wear a replacement outside of training/games so it wouldn’t be obvious though.

I don’t think 85% of them are missing a teeth. That’s crazy. How? Why? They are face-guarded to the hilt and yes accidents can happen, but to 85% of them?! I’m genuinely surprised to see this stat, but won’t be looking it up as I really don’t care that much.

The idea of us British having bad teeth (and before anyone launches into me, I am not anti-British and have multiple nationalities; British and Canadian are two) I’m afraid is true.

And as a nation, many don’t seem to care about them as much.

The false ‘chiclet-teeth’ that many Americans have also looks dire too, but it’s better than bent, yellow, gappy mouths which screams poor health, poverty and general neglect.

Whilst sympathetic to this, it’s not appealing is it.

@Frannyhy

I once worked in a place where the restaurant owner was interviewing staff. He turned a woman down because of her bad teeth, although she was an ideal candidate.

He wondered why she’d spend so much on her hair, clothes and makeup and think her teeth weren’t important. And said she frighten the customers off!!

Like it or not looks do matter at work too!

Well that just shows how ignorant he is. Hair and beauty stuff is pennies compared to how much it costs to fix teeth.

No.

He could apply for an interest free loan and pay it off, if finances allows.

@gamerchick

Can't believe you tried to open a conversation about his teeth. Why do that? Poor bugger. Hopefully he didn't click.

You can not date someone for any reason though. It's something that bothers you. I wouldn't dare someone with a beard. We all have our thing.

And if he did click I suspect your question will not matter and he won't want another date. How awful op. Imagine being aware of your looks and someone clearly being so rude. I wouldn't want to see you again.

Nope but that’s only because my very abusive ex had no teeth and that’s the association for me I’m afraid

He had them when I met him but his dental hygiene was awful

'The idea of us British having bad teeth (and before anyone launches into me, I am not anti-British and have multiple nationalities; British and Canadian are two) I’m afraid is true.'

No, it isn't. The average British child has 0.7 fillings; the average American one has 1.3.
Britain is fifth on the world scale of oral health (based on the mean number of decayed, missing and/or filled teeth) - level
with Sweden and above Switzerland, France, the US - and Canada.

@LetHimHaveIt

'The idea of us British having bad teeth (and before anyone launches into me, I am not anti-British and have multiple nationalities; British and Canadian are two) I’m afraid is true.'

No, it isn't. The average British child has 0.7 fillings; the average American one has 1.3.
Britain is fifth on the world scale of oral health (based on the mean number of decayed, missing and/or filled teeth) - level
with Sweden and above Switzerland, France, the US - and Canada.

I’m talking about aesthetics! Not health. Sorry that wasn’t clear. Interesting to see these stats; not least because dental carries in British children is considered to be our biggest nutritional disorder (more so than obesity).

Yet only 0.7 fillings.

That is of course doe the children who actually regularly go to a dentist. What are the stats on that?

Can't you get them done on the NHS though? Isn't dental care free if you're on certain types of benefits? I always wondered why the Jeremy Kyle contestants didn't get theirs fixed cheap as they were usually out of work.....?

I have perfectly good dental hygiene, no oral disease, and almost had a tooth pulled recently. I'd have been grateful for it I was in that much pain. Turns out the dentist was able to fix it without needing to pull it out but, if he had, it would have had to heal before I could get an implant. I don't know that it would have been easily visible (not a front tooth but not a back one either), but a temporary situation. I had no idea there was so much stigma about having a missing tooth.

What if someone has a missing finger or toe or limb, or is deaf or blind? Would that be a deal breaker too? Not for me. Stuff happens and we can love the people for who they are even when their body isn't perfect.

@LetHimHaveIt

'The idea of us British having bad teeth (and before anyone launches into me, I am not anti-British and have multiple nationalities; British and Canadian are two) I’m afraid is true.'

No, it isn't. The average British child has 0.7 fillings; the average American one has 1.3.
Britain is fifth on the world scale of oral health (based on the mean number of decayed, missing and/or filled teeth) - level
with Sweden and above Switzerland, France, the US - and Canada.

And I also wasn’t talking about children either z

This is a thread about adults!

Once that fee dental treatment (if it was ever accessed) is gone - dental health drops quite rapidly.

MY DH has missing teeth due to cancer treatment- to have implants needs a bone graft that they wont do until he is declared cancer free and the bugger keeps coming back.

I am missing a tooth at the moment as knocked out when someone hit my car- car was only slightly damaged.

@Yerroblemom1923

Can't you get them done on the NHS though? Isn't dental care free if you're on certain types of benefits? I always wondered why the Jeremy Kyle contestants didn't get theirs fixed cheap as they were usually out of work.....?

If the issues are cosmetic rather than health related they won’t fix them “for free” on the nhs even if you are entitled to free dental care. Missing a few front teeth or having some black ones / cracked ones doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a health hazard so they won’t be fixed.

Plus I was born with 4 missing teeth at the front. Thats why I have 2 large bridges and 2 small gaps.