Presidential Pearly Whites

It’s a good thing television didn’t exist in the days of our country’s forefathers. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln would have never been elected if the following is true!

New research from Luster Premium Dental White, a company specializing in the manufacture of tooth whitening products, shows that candidates with a whiter, brighter smile have a leg up during election season.

Luster analyzed photos of presidential candidates going back to the 1992 election, and found a correlation between teeth whiteness and electability. Controlling for changes in lighting and other environmental conditions, those carrying out the study were able to compare the relative whiteness of each candidate’s teeth.

The results:

- When he was just Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton had a considerably whiter smile than incumbent President George H.W. Bush. He also had a whiter smile than Bob Dole in 1996, and won the election handily.

- In 2000, George W. Bush had only slightly whiter teeth than Vice President Al Gore. But, just four years later, his teeth far outshone those of Senator John Kerry, and Bush once again won the election.

What does this say about this year’s election?

At the time of the study, President Obama’s teeth were just barely outshining Mitt Romney’s. So unless Romney considers some cosmetic changes, it looks like another win for Obama. Let’s see if Romney’s people take note of this study in time for the debates!