What the Candidates’ Smiles Say About Their Personalities: McCain’s shows his age, Obama is one cool contender
Last updated August 24th, 2009
Boston, MA – October 8, 2008 – Dr. Helaine Smith, a Boston-based cosmetic dentist, recently analyzed the presidential candidates and their smiles and concluded that their smiles give clues into their personalities – and possibly their governing style.
According to Dr. Smith, John McCain’s yellow teeth and a gold crown on his upper right molar show his age. “He probably got that gold crown in the Navy,” says Dr. Smith, “because few dentists do those anymore.” In addition, he has old amalgam or silver fillings in the posterior teeth – and the bluish black color of the fillings shines through, making his smile and his teeth look worn and very old.
Like John McCain, Joe Biden also has a smile that shows his age. According to Smith, it appears that Biden may have a denture for his mandibular or lower teeth. In addition, his maxillary or upper teeth appear to be a rehab of older crowns. The combination of old and new dental work isn’t well integrated. His upper teeth are dull due to old porcelain crowns and his mandibular teeth are very flat – they look like a denture or an even an older rehab of crowns.
“The fact that John McCain has not whitened his teeth – which could be done quite easily while on a ride on the Straight Talk Express – or replaced those black fillings with tooth-color fillings says a lot,” says Dr. Smith. “He’s not concerned with looking his age or with how other people view him. It could be he views teeth whitening as ‘too Hollywood’ – a perception that goes against his ‘maverick’ personality.”
“Biden, on the other hand, would benefit from having wider maxillary teeth and less taper, which would offset his long face, and give him a more powerful smile,” says Smith. “Right now his smile is too flashy – and this is because the new work on his upper teeth doesn’t reflect the light well. Hence, his smile may not look sincere to some people and thus he may not come across as trustworthy. And, because his lower teeth are flat, I would hazard a guess he grinds his teeth due to stress.”
Because they are younger and benefited from regular dental care as children and teens, both Barack Obama and Sarah Palin have beautiful, youthful smiles. Obama’s teeth have retained their enamel and natural shape – an indication he doesn’t suffer from teeth grinding, even with the stress of the Presidential race. Says Dr. Smith, “Obama’s teeth are simply gorgeous naturally – and they add significantly to his star power.”
Palin, on the other hand, had orthodontic treatment as a teen but her right central tooth is shorter than her left tooth. Thus, she doesn’t have symmetry between her front two teeth – a problem that is easily rectified with cosmetic dentistry. Says Smith, “Palin may have decided against cosmetic dentistry because she’s not as concerned with how she looks – the same as her running mate, John McCain. She’s an outdoor type who keeps busy and active – fixing a minor imperfection is not on her list of priorities. However, her teeth are oval shaped and very pretty and they perfectly match her heart-shaped face.”
About Dr. Helaine Smith
Dr. Smith, a Boston, Massachusetts cosmetic dentist, has combined a dedication to patient care, volunteerism, and business acumen since beginning her dentistry career in 1991. She is a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry and a Las Vegas Institute graduate, and she recently completed an executive MBA program at Suffolk University.
In May 2006, Dr. Smith’s practice was named first runner-up in the prestigious Cosmetic Practice of the Year Award competition, sponsored by Levin Group, Ascend Media, and Philips Oral Healthcare.
For more information about her practice visit: http://www.helainesmithdmd.com
