American Smile: The Bright Consumerist Smile

Till recently it was believed that teeth formation and quality had a lot to do with the quantity of sunlight, which is imbibed in the form of vitamin D by a growing child. As a result, Indians were supposed to have a better deal in at least this part of the world's resources.


Not any more, Americans are far ahead of any one else in this as in much else. Americans supposedly have a veritable obsession with their teeth. Nowhere else in the world can one encounter so many perfect sets of teeth. This however has nothing to do with what God, heredity or the environment can give an individual in the shape of his or her teeth.

Like everything else in America, teeth are also a consumer item, packaged and advertised to attract consumers of all kinds. The consumer has a choice of the kind of smile he wants, the teeth colour and shape he prefers , of course all at a price.

In America during a visit to the dentist, one is obliged to view a film on teeth-improvement techniques. The viewing of the film is mandatory as the monitor is attached to the chair one is being treated in, thus guaranteeing that one can not escape.

The assault on the consumer's vulnerable narcissis- tic streak is extremely well timed and perfectly targeted . One can see the extent of ruination that human teeth are prone to as one watches with stupefied horror the yellowed, hollowed, plaque ridden decadence unfold in front of one's eyes. Then as one has barely surfaced from the revolting experience, one is totally demolished with an uncensored view of the interior of one's own mouth with all its attendant visuals.

Even while one is absorbing all this, one is rescued from the depths of despair by a fast forward reconstruction of the apparent mess one's Teeth are in. LO and behold ! even before one can say cheese, the monitor opens before one, the tantalizing possibility of being the proud owner of a gleaming white, perfect smile. This is the right time for the consumer to stop the advertising blitz, and raise a few questions.

What distinguishes one human being from the other?

What role does personality have in human affairs?

What does human personality consist of?

Isn't the colour of one's skin and the shape of one's nose an important part of one's being?

What is this quest for perfection which seeks to eliminate individual quirks of a person's appearance?

Several fundamental questions can be raised from this premise.

How far are assembly line techniques of production responsible for the complete lack of participation of individuals in the quality of day to day life in America.

Is it not the diversity of this participation, which lends vitality and dynamism to the culture of a race?

What is consumerist culture, if not a blocking of individuality and variety and people's creative urge?

For example: are Indians ready to barter the beauty and diversity of their apparel for the boredom of ready to wear garments available in same patterns across the globe?

Obviously not. Other wise like every other nation on the planet, our women too would be weaning only the western style clothing.

We have our very own skirt (a hundred styles /lengths in ghagra - cholis ), Trousers, ( again several variations on the theme in our salwar styles and chooridars) and of course the unbeatable SAREE and its regional splendor.

What is style, if not the adaptation of individual needs to regional, | local and climatic genres?

The need for peer identification is great but not if purchased at the cost of suppressing one's need to be different.

Having a perfect set of teeth is definitely a sign of one's affluence and influence but it definitely is no replacement for the charm of one's own somewhat crooked but personal smile.

I once checked a bright, computer maniac 10 year old for an exaggerated preference for imported chocolates . as it would lead to a prematurely damaged set of biters.

The immediate and perky answer was " oh now we have the technology to fix rotted teeth, so why bother?"!!!

Globalization of the American smile - that bright consumerist smile must be halted in its tracks.