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THE "AMERICAN SMILE"

By Unknown - 7:09 PM

Fellow Americans,

Did you know that your smile is famous? I sure did not until I came to Europe. Traveling from country to country, locals would tell me that I have THE American-girl smile. It took me actually moving here to see what they meant. Americans just have this smile. It's unique and it's huge.  The phrase "grinning from ear to ear" came from somewhere. When Americans smile, we subconsciously try and and put every tooth on display.

People all over the world know it from movies, magazines, and talk shows. Some find it more endearing than others, but Americans take a lot of pride in those smiles: from yearly dental check ups to investing thousands in whitening and orthodontics. A French friend of mine sparked a heavy debate last year when he said something about how flossing is an activity the American dental companies made up in order to further increase profits. We found this to be 100 percent poppycock but the debate was pretty freaking hilarious (although I still find it impossible to argue against the benefits of flossing).

A public relations professor of mine once said "the most important thing you can invest your money in is your smile". I do not know if I agree with "the most important part", but I've gotta say my smile has taken me a long way thus far.

Smiles filled this weekend. I spent Saturday with all of my favorite people in Karlsruhe - first at an early Thanksgiving dinner celebration with my old au pair family and later out with friends. The camera's were out and the guys couldn't help but laugh at our American smiles. They started to place their finger horizontally between their teeth and then removing it before smiling in order to also have the #AmericanSmile.

American Smile




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Do you smile "the American smile"?

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30 comments

  1. DaddioOctober 28, 2013 at 1:24 PM

    Gorgeous, simply gorgeous! Never gets old seeing your 'American Smile', especially sans the sunglasses.

    That smile I'm sure has, and will, open a lot of doors & a few hearts? Add the blonde hair, blue eyes and general attractiveness & intelligence, and it really isn't fair.

    Keep on smilin' that American Smile.

    Love, miss, proud of, and for, you!

    Always,

    Daddio

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  2. Nakul Nitin GoteOctober 28, 2013 at 1:37 PM

    I remember witnessing a heated debate between the said French and two Americans (one from Tennessee and the other from Portland) on the exact same issue.

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  3. tanyaOctober 28, 2013 at 1:46 PM

    The American smile is supper famous!!! When in 1997 I immigrated to US from Ukraine, during my first dentist visit that was my request, “please give me an American smile”, ahhaha, at 13 I thought that’s what you get after regular American dental cleaning, a magical smile, ahhaha, to my surprise my teeth did not change in shape or form after that visit, ahah...but in time I did learn how to smile like an American :)

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  4. Jamie @ Expat TalesOctober 28, 2013 at 2:06 PM

    I was just reading elsewhere about this the other day, something about how foreigners think Americans are dopey and stupid for smiling all the time, while Americans on the other side assume foreigners are cold and unfriendly because they don't smile so much. I really hadn't thought of that before, but it makes a lot of sense. Swedes here are generally pretty quiet and keep to themselves, but if I'm walking into my building and pass one of my neighbors, how can I not give them a polite hello-smile?! It feels so incredibly rude and awkward to just walk past someone in a situation like that with no acknowledgement to my American self!

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  5. StevenOctober 28, 2013 at 2:27 PM

    Huh. I had never heard anything before about the American smile being a well known phenomenon. I don't think I have one, actually.

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  6. christinOctober 28, 2013 at 3:30 PM

    eh...i mean...sometimes. haha!

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  7. From Casinos to CastlesOctober 28, 2013 at 3:32 PM

    So interesting! I've never heard that before!

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  8. HeleneOctober 28, 2013 at 4:25 PM

    you do have some nice pearly whites!!! and I have heard that but i've never bene told that. looks like a fun weekend!

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  9. MariaOctober 28, 2013 at 4:42 PM

    This makes so much sense, I definitely have the American smile. It's great to see you enjoying yourself! You look as if you had a great time.

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  10. KatrinOctober 28, 2013 at 5:19 PM

    Great pictures! :) And yeah, I agree: Americans always smile when you take a picture. Like really smile...showing their teeth and everything. I never do that. But I am a grumpy German so I hope people can understand. :)

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  11. pollyheathOctober 28, 2013 at 6:06 PM

    Yup. Here in Moscow, I often get a victorious "I KNEW IT!" from Russians who guessed I was American by how much I smiled.

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  12. sophierociousOctober 28, 2013 at 8:04 PM

    I do! A french friend of mine always called my smile "very big and toothy". I think that's an American smile. lol

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  13. WondernutsOctober 28, 2013 at 8:31 PM

    I was kind of thinking the same thing. it's like, "oh you have the American smile...because you're smiling way too much." It's either that or you epic-ly straight teeth.

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  14. bevchenOctober 28, 2013 at 9:47 PM

    I had no idea the American smile was a thing, although now I think of it most of the Americans I know do have big, beaming smiles.

    Half the time, I resemble a gremlin when I smile. Not the best look...

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  15. WhitneyOctober 28, 2013 at 11:11 PM

    I do know from my college buddies from other countries that Americans are a bit obsessive about their dental care. Whitening strips, and veneers, and all that hooplah is a little intense to some of them. When I told a friend that I was looking into a gingivectomy, she thought I was insane.

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  16. cubiclethrowdownOctober 29, 2013 at 1:17 AM

    It's in Central America too! I often get asked if I'm American, because of the smile (nope, but maybe Canadians do it too?)

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  17. Jessica of HolaYessicaOctober 29, 2013 at 2:00 AM

    Haha yup, there's definitely an American smile. I live in Barcelona, and some of my Spanish friends have commented that it looks kind of vacuous to them...so I had to explain to them it's just a way of being nice or showing interest!

    I always look odd in pictures when all my European girlfriends show off their sultry smiles and I'm stood grinning there with all my teeth out. :D

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  18. AndiOctober 29, 2013 at 3:01 AM

    I think Americans have the best smile in the world! :)

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  19. LizOctober 29, 2013 at 3:49 AM

    That's so funny! I guess I've never really thought about us having a particular smile. I have always thought we are a bit obsessive with our dental care. I was given these "finger brushes" by the pediatrician when my baby cut his first teeth. They also treated the teeth with some sort of fluoride treatment. He was only five months old! lol. But that is normal for here.

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  20. MeganOctober 29, 2013 at 8:16 AM

    The American Smile rocks! I've been told similar things before...and sometimes it's definitely perceived in a negative way, depending on where I'm traveling. But, the occasional confusion is a small price to pay- I love being smiley and happy most of the time. Smiling is good for the soul :-D Keep on representing us smiley Americans over there!

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  21. Jessica WrayOctober 29, 2013 at 4:46 PM

    I had no idea! Crap, I´ve been drinking a lot of wine and coffee....I better find some white strips. Then I can truley boast about my famous smile ;)

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  22. EdnaOctober 29, 2013 at 5:41 PM

    Haha I know this! I've been told mine is very ear-to-ear as well and I can totally pick out who else is Asian-Asian vs who is Asian-American based on our big smiles :)

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  23. Colleen BrynnOctober 29, 2013 at 9:51 PM

    When I first found your blog, your smile was the first thing I noticed in the photos. It could be an American thing sure, or maybe you just have a killer smile!

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  24. TinainGermanyNovember 2, 2013 at 11:53 AM

    For what it's worth, it was only after I finished reading this post that I realized half the people in this picture aren't smiling normally!

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  25. Margo EggelingNovember 3, 2013 at 5:34 PM

    I've never given it much thought before but you're SO right. We (Americans) really do have signature joyous grins! Though the dentist isn't my favorite place I'm so grateful that it's our culture to make the visit twice a year. I'm not sure if you had your wisdom teeth removed but in my town EVERYONE had them out by 16, which actually requires a relatively major surgery. To an outsider it might seem like an odd and extreme norm, but I'm really glad I got it out of the way while I was still young. Anyways, cheers to your beautiful American smile! :)

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  26. MontgomeryFestNovember 6, 2013 at 1:39 PM

    I never knew this was a thing til I moved to Belgium! My friend from Hong Kong told me about the American smile...she said it's contagious to hang out with us because the culture she grew up in was discouraged to show that much expression.

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  27. ifs ands & buttsNovember 7, 2013 at 2:50 AM

    Oh yeah, I am always SHOCKED when I hear how long some people go without visiting the dentist. I love getting my teeth cleaned.

    And did I have my wisdom teeth out...? ;) http://www.ifsandsandbutts.com/2013/01/wisdom-teeth.html

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  28. Mariella (bridgekeeper)November 8, 2013 at 10:42 PM

    I needed a smile today! Thanks!! xx

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  29. AntonioMarch 24, 2014 at 9:46 PM

    Showing teeth and smiling is NOT the same.

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  30. AshleyMarch 28, 2014 at 2:46 AM

    SO true! got the reaction! " you americans and your bloody perfect teeth!" Loved it =)

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