Suffering and desperation, transformation and joy are as old as narrative itself. It’s the death and renewal story that’s played out in fairytales, myths, opera, fiction and film. The merging of the heart’s desire with a changing body; most often by a benevolent magical spirit, good witch or fairy godmother. For reality tv, they’re the roles of cosmetic surgeons and dental professionals. The interrupters of anguish bringing rejuvenation. And with it, the opportunity for not only a brand new life, but a new life branded with the confines of beauty conformity.

We’re eternally fascinated by the changing and changeable relationship between body and psyche. Used to be that being “beautiful on the inside” was the goal; easier access to the magic mastery of medical modification has predominantly dissed that as a hoary old chestnut needing to book in for a colour change and a total rewrite.

Possessing inner beauty is entirely about nurturing and attaining an unapologetic self-acceptance. Overarching all that is unique, imperfect and human about ourselves in order to truly embody kindness and compassion. In the scheme of modern living, there seems little evidence of that despite the high rotation of altruistic quotes and expressions on social media; usually by the exceptionally and expensively aesthetically re-tweaked.

It kinda loses its currency; like Marie Antoinette and her cake.

Globally, the combination of the beauty and personal care industry, cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dentistry totals an annual revenue of $US740 billion. Military expenditure is $US2.443 trillion. On the philanthropy landscape in 2020, cross-border Official Development Assistance by 47 countries amounted to $US180 billion.

Just a snapshot of power and good looks outdoing good intention.

A survey in the UK found that 33% of under-35s had a cosmetic dental procedure in 2023. One-in-ten participants spent more than £25,000 on their teeth; 16% sold their car to fund the treatment.

Only a third were able to pay upfront.

For 25% of the respondents, the reason they went ahead with the cosmetic work was “to look like the people (they) see on social media and reality tv.”

Co-managing director of UK specialist malpractice firm The Dental Law Partnership, Chris Dean, is quoted as saying, “The findings of this survey are truly worrying. The ‘new normal’ for perfectly straight, brilliantly white teeth is leading to what I would refer to as ‘dental dysmorphia’ amongst many young people, who think there is something wrong with their teeth, when they are in fact perfectly normal and healthy.”

He further iterated “While some treatments, such as tooth whitening or dental aligners present little risk, other treatments such as veneers are very concerning as these are invasive destructive procedures. The risk of something going wrong, especially if done abroad, is far greater. And they are irreversible. Once teeth are shaved down for veneers, they can’t grow back.”

So broad is the influence of ‘dentertainment’, Google searches specific to procedures on the show invariably increase within minutes of them being aired. Healthy, attractive teeth have never gone out of style, but reality tv trends have taken over social media and dental professionals have major concerns.

Having veneers is as irreversible a decision as having a kid. They’re both lifetime commitments; and only one is eventually off your hands – financially at least.

What may not be properly understood about this cosmetic procedure is that between 5 and 15 years after the initial procedure is the need for replacement – an expense that’s incurred all over again, and likely to have increased. They can also be damaged, or come off in-between. How long they last is dependent on at least three factors: whether they’re porcelain, composite resin, acrylic or zirconia; the dentist’s choice of adhesive; and the skill and expertise with which they’ve been shaped and fitted.

Good work’s not cheap; and cheap work’s not good.

Avoiding certain foods, religiously attending to good dental hygiene and making regular dental appointments sacrosanct are also part of the deal.

Each replacement of course, requires more shaving of the natural tooth. Notwithstanding any possible future technical advances in dentistry, once there’s no dental enamel left (which can also be lost through decay under the shell) crowns are the next option. To have veneers done in your 20s and 30s for no other reason than perceived flaws a degree or two from some erroneous idea of perfection, would have an array of available rehab clinics were it a drug.

Using telegenic hooks, mass culture is both conquered and created, and the line that once made it easy to decipher fact from fiction (i.e scripted shows) is completely obliterated. While it’s true that no actors are cast, ultimately everyone in it is acting on some level – just not as a professional, which is a huge advantage for the production budget.

For an indeterminate time during and after the show, contestants experience a level of celebrity; a word that reality tv altered forever, and is now bandied about like confetti at a mediaeval Italian wedding. Reality tv has been around for so long, it takes some prompting to remember that the likes of Beyoncé, Emma Stone, Harry Styles, Kristen Wiig and Jennifer Hudson all had their start in this type of tv.

And yes, there’s no ignoring that bilious bunch of billionaires – the core-valueless Kardashians.

Reality tv is now a hardened institution of the entertainment industry. Regardless of whether a series is structured around romance, survival, talent, style or beauty, it’s completely formulaic, earns revenue from product placement and advertising, and from every aspect it has to sell what the public will buy.

In all of them, time, trauma and truth are contracted and stretched like a vaudeville accordion.

Each involves intense competition, taps into viewer’s emotions and insecurities with manipulative editing, and offers a life-changing prize for the winner. As vested voyeurs, whether that’s conclusively good, bad or indifferent is never actually known for those who don’t make the top of the pile, and stay there. For the most part, fifteen minutes of fame flames out pretty quickly.

Like bottled water, reality tv was initially dismissed as a short-lived and noxious fad. Both have however, proven idiotically irrepressible.

Under the scrutiny of social scientists, the effects of this fictional non-fictional tv are not at all encouraging. They’re found to heighten and compound anxiety related to both self-worth and physicality, completely distort relationship expectations, and increase aggression. Rudeness, superficiality, cruelty and disloyalty are weaponised and rewarded. Malignant narcissists are replete, and always ready-for-my-close-up-Mr-DeMille.

It makes it appear that this shallower, more selfish, more divisive 21st century is simply conforming to the norm.

The extreme personalities who are cast and encouraged for our entertainment, are wiping out common sense with their common language and common behaviour. The definition of beauty is completely narrowed to a high maintenance, high investment, permanent pursuit. We’re sliding backwards without even noticing how much we’re regressing. The toddler tantrums and dime-diva demands of biological adults not only accepted, but basically applauded as part of the strategy of ‘winners’.

Veneers are definitely not a necessary dental procedure. There are factors that make not everyone a suitable candidate, which what makes it a decision that can only be made in consultation with your dentist, and not a fan forum or subreddit. It requires careful understanding of the permanency of it, and the non-optional ongoing investment it takes. Looking like a celebrity is very different to actually having the present and future earning capacity to support it. In the long term, holidays, experiences and certain freedoms may be forfeited from actioning some paltry popular opinion without proper reason, research and reflection.

Life is imperfect and so are teeth.

Often the road to happiness and satisfaction is paved with the ability to embrace it all, and compare ourselves to nobody else. There’s a beautiful fountain of empowerment right there.

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