Perfect white teeth. According to magazines, films and social media everyone has them. The pressure to have the “perfect” Hollywood smile is even bearing down on children, leading to a crisis in confidence among our youngest generation. Rankin and Aquafresh are challenging this societal norm, emphasizing that healthy teeth are the true standard of beauty.
The partners have created an free portrait exhibition that challenges society’s obsession with perfect teeth, emphasising that Perfect Teeth are Just Healthy Teeth. It features primary school children proudly displaying their unique smiles, complete with wobbly, gappy, and snaggly teeth.
These images will be displayed at Black & White Soho in London, inviting the public to celebrate the diversity of healthy smiles and challenge conventional beauty standards.
The campaign is built on a recent study by Aquafresh that revealed that nearly half of British children aged 4-11 have experienced low confidence due to societal pressure regarding their dental appearance. Nearly 1 in 2 British children feel less confident due to pressure to have “perfect” social media smiles and 98% of parents recognise dental health’s impact on their kid’s overall confidence. According to the research, issues such as missing teeth, tooth colour, and alignment, contribute significantly to children’s insecurities, with 36% admitting to feeling embarrassed to smile or laugh.
Rankin stated that the campaign aims to “inspire children to embrace their uniqueness and recognise that perfection is subjective.”
He added, “Perfection is an attitude – so being able to help kids embrace their wobbly, wonky teeth and realise what is ‘considered’ as perfect teeth doesn’t matter. Let’s challenge the status quo – and encourage kids to be unique and confident.”
Dr Linda Greenwell, founder of the Dental Wellness Trust, commented, “While Rankin’s moving portraits demonstrate the joy in a child’s proud, toothy smile, it’s also heartbreaking to find out that half of children are feeling low in confidence due to the way their teeth look. We know that if teeth are looked after and healthy, they are perfect.
“Dental health should be as much a part of a child’s self-care routine as washing their body and getting enough sleep – especially as we navigate the Dental Health crisis in the UK, and it becomes harder than ever to secure a dentist’s appointment. It’s so important for grownups – at home and in schools – to instil good dental hygiene habits in kids – habits will last a lifetime. Aquafresh has kindly supported The Dental Wellness Trust for 3 years, helping us to promote oral health amongst children and while we’re making huge progress, this research proves that there’s still vital work to be done.”
Monica Michalopoulou, spokesperson for Aquafresh, added, “Our longstanding commitment to shedding light on dental care challenges faced by families remains unwavering. We are dedicated to our ‘Shine Bright’ schools’ campaign — a vital initiative that amplifies awareness and enriches dental education for parents, teachers, and children across the UK, that’s in its fifth year. This program, accessible to all primary schools, emphasises the importance of early teeth brushing through fun and engaging activities.”
All images by Rankin
