Celebrities with Unique Teeth

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While celebrities are usually the image of “ideal” beauty standards, some have chosen to keep their unique dentition in tact. Here are 5 examples of stars who don’t have Hollywood smiles.

Tom Cruise

The Mission Impossible star has what fans have come to call a “middle tooth”. You can see that the space between his two front teeth does not align with the middle of his face, making his teeth asymmetrical. We know Cruise had orthodontic treatment in the early 2000’s when he wore braces to the premiere of “Minority Report”. This was a great moment in dentistry as it helped reduce the stigma around adult braces.

Lawrence Fishburne

Many celebs have diastema like Lawrence Fishburne. A diastema is a space or gap between two teeth, commonly referred to as “gap teeth”. While diastema can be corrected with braces or (in cases of small diastema) with fillings, may people choose not to “fix” their unique smiles. As long as the open space does not affect chewing or forming words, we love to see people confident and happy with their natural teeth!

Kate Moss

Kate Moss has a peg lateral, a condition where the second tooth on either side of the upper front teeth does not develop correctly and is small, often pointed, and looks like a cone. Options to make a peg lateral look more uniform with natural teeth include aesthetic fillings, veneers, and crowns.

Gary Busey

Busey had dental implants and veneers following a serious motorcycle accident in 1988. He opted for oversized veneers as part of his makeover and while not everyone can pull that off, it works for him.

Jim Carrey

I know what you’re thinking, “it’s not fair to use this picture, he’s playing a character” but did you know Carrey already had a split tooth? A fight during elementary school resulted in a chipped tooth that was eventually repaire. Looking back on how he managed to chip it for the role of Christmas, first assistant director, J.B. Rogers said: “The night before, Jim took a beer bottle… hooked the cap over the cap on his tooth, and pulled the cap off his tooth. Because he thought his character should have the split tooth. He didn’t think of it until that night.”

Bulimia, how it harms your teeth.

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How Bulimia Harms your teeth

Bulimia teeth typically look worn in ways that healthy teeth do not. The back sides of the front teeth show significant wear and tear. This uncommon pattern is a major sign. It only takes 6 months to begin to see the negative effects of vomiting. Teeth can’t hold up under the damage of stomach acid forever, some may begin to yellow, become more brittle, or have a more porous texture. Chipping may also begin to occur at this stage.

This is because of your teeth’s regular exposure to stomach acids. These acids begin to corrode the protective enamel layer around your teeth. The more you purge, the more they come into contact with this delicate covering. The sugary foods that bingeing often involves can make tooth decay even worse. This can lead to tooth sensitivity to cold foods, warm foods, and sweets.

Not only does constant cycles of bingeing and purging harm your teeth, it also take a massive toll on the heart, digestive tract, and kidneys, to name a few.

Unexpected problems bulimia can cause

  • Bite problems – back teeth are especially susceptible to long-term erosion, and patients could even lose them over time. Once this happens, your bite could become painful. This stage presents about 3 years into frequent vomiting.
  • Gingivitis and periodontal disease – (almost inevitable) Stomach acid repeatedly washes against the gums, causing inflammation and damage. As the gums weaken, the teeth they hold can become loose or, in extreme cases, even fall out.
  • Sore oral tissues – the skin in your mouth and throat can experience this wear and tear as well. This is particularly hard on the roof of your mouth and your esophagus as acid moves through. Painful sores can emerge, swell, or become infected, resulting in a chronic sore throat and aching mouth.
  • Jaw pain – vomiting and binge eating put patients in a high risk category for chronic jaw pain, headaches, chewing issues, and snoring.
  • Lower saliva production – This slower flow leads to higher instances of dry mouth.Stomach acid can irritate your salivary glands, leading to difficulty swallowing. Furthermore, the presence of saliva defends your teeth from decay. Its absence can worsen cavities already caused by erosion.

Seek Help

Dental work can only repair eroding teeth and other issues. It cannot reverse or stop the effects of bulimia. Your mouth and body will continue to suffer as long as this habit continues, so opt for long-term solutions as well.

Your teeth are incredibly important, but so is your well-being. There are resources available to you that will improve your health and relationship with eating. As dentists, we play one part in the whole story of restoring you back to the healthiest version of yourself.