It might be an outdated stereotype that’s not based in reality but many Americans still seem to think that the British have terrible teeth, if the cover of latest New Republic is to be believed. A picture of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, has been posted on the front of the magazine with her smile photoshopped to look yellow and decaying, despite the fact she has had thousands of pounds worth of orthodontic surgery to give her a perfect, natural-looking smile. The picture was captioned; Something’s Rotten. The Last Days of Britain.’
Many American’s who are in the media spotlight are under the impression that their teeth should be incredibly straight and blindingly white, but the 30-year-old Duchess received dental treatment from French dentist Didier Fillion, who made every effort to avoid this effect, by performing some microrotations on her teeth. A colleague of Dr Fillion, Bernard Touati said that the fact that Kate’s teeth are not perfectly aligned is what makes them look so natural, he went on to say that ‘the problem in the United States is they have a very artificial vision, but what we like is a natural healthy smile, but not artificial.’
Online supporters – both American and British – have leapt to the defence of the young royal, saying the cover was a ‘low blow’, ‘absolutely ridiculous’ and even suggesting that the magazine should be sued for libel following the printing of the issue. One poster took a swipe at the journalism involved in The New Republic, saying ‘I wonder if these are the same critics who keep up on the Kardashians, or whatever flavour of the moth Hollywood squirts out.’