Celebrity photographer Rankin has spotted a gap in the market with his latest exhibition celebrating children’s wobbly and wonky teeth.
The British snapper has set out to challenge the idea of what makes perfect teeth with the pictures, saying he wants to “inspire children to embrace their uniqueness and recognise that perfection is subjective”.
He photographed eight primary school children for the show, which is on at Black & White Soho in Greek Street this weekend.
It comes as a survey by dental health firm Aquafresh found nearly half of British children aged between four and 11 worried about how their teeth look and a third (36 per cent) said they were sometimes embarrassed to smile or laugh because of the state of their teeth.
Rankin said: “Perfection is an attitude – so being able to help kids embrace their wobbly, wonky teeth and realise what is considered as perfect teeth doesn’t matter. Let’s challenge the status quo – and encourage kids to be unique and confident.”
Dr Linda Greenwell, founder of the Dental Wellness Trust, said: “Whilst Rankin’s moving portraits demonstrate the joy in a child’s proud, toothy smile, it’s also heartbreaking to find out half of children are feeling low in confidence due to the way their teeth look.
“We know that if teeth are looked after and healthy, they are perfect! Dental health should be as much a part of a child’s self-care routine as washing their body and getting enough sleep – especially as we navigate the Dental Health crisis in the UK, and it becomes harder than ever to secure a dentist’s appointment.
“It’s so important for grownups – at home and in schools - to instil good dental hygiene habits in kids - habits will last a lifetime.”
