Corporate sponsored rating of Presidential teeth from 1992 testing if good teeth predict elections

Democracy, elections and voting at Democracy Chronicles

Presidential Candidates’ Teeth Predict Winner

With the democratic and republican national conventions now complete, candidates are in the last leg of capturing undecided voters to win the 2012 election. But findings in a study sponsored by Luster Premium White, a leading brand of oral care whitening products, point to presidential candidates’ teeth whiteness as a leading indicator of election success.

An analysis of photos taken of presidential candidates on the campaign trail showed the correlation between teeth whiteness and electability. By adjusting the color of photos taken over the years to control for changes in ambient lighting and environmental conditions, the study was able to compare the relative whiteness of each candidate’s teeth.

Photo evidence going back to 1992 shows the candidate with the whiter teeth winning the election. When he was just Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton had a considerably whiter smile than incumbent President George H.W. Bush. Clinton handedly won the election, a feat he repeated in 1996 against the dimmer-smile-bearing Bob Dole.

In 2000, George W. Bush had only marginally whiter teeth than Vice President Al Gore, a portent of the narrow election win he’d see in November. But, just four years later his teeth outshone those of Senator John Kerry, and Bush once again one the election.

What is in store for 2012? At the time of the study, President Obama’s teeth were just barely outshining Mitt Romney’s. Unless Romney makes a dental correction, it looks like another win for Obama. With teeth whiteness being a historic indicator of election wins, it may be time for candidates to stop spending millions on TV ads and just spend some money on at-home teeth whiteners.