Teeth tell a story about one's life. A story that you might not want told. Gladwell wrote an interesting article about national health care using dental as metaphore. My thoughts are more pedantic--pearly whites are dreamy but to keep your teeth gleaming you have to live a puritan's life. I'm an athletic guy and enjoy great health, but I smoke, drink, and have a serious love for espresso. All my life I have been able to wake early, go to bed late, eat & drink as I please. I am "teflon man," except for the teeth. I took this "before" picture to see if the Crest White Stripes were worth the money. Turns out, they are a pain in the ass to use, so I quit after two applications.