Smile White’s Great British Teeth Index 2025
5 minute read
Studies conducted by Smile White have revealed the areas in the UK with the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ smiles. The data* was collated by identifying the number of enquiries for teeth straightening treatments nationwide in 2025.
Top 10 areas with the worst teeth
The data has declared that Oxford is the city with the ‘worst teeth’. 1 in every 235 residents enquired about clear aligners in 2025, with 38% of those classified as a complex case**. Despite the area having a relatively high number of dentists (3.31 per 10,000 patients), it still tops the UK for per-capita demand.
Average age of patients in Oxford: 26
Here are the top 10 areas in the UK with the worst teeth.
- Oxford
- Chelmsford
- Plymouth
- Sheffield
- Chester
- Durham
- Peterborough
- Exeter
- Bradford
- Darlington
Top 10 areas with the best teeth
Now we have discussed the worst teeth, lets move onto the best. The top spot goes to Edinburgh. The city has just 1.32 dentists per 10,000 patients but sees a far lower demand, with just 1 in 37,569 enquiring with Smile White. This exemplifies the dramatic regional difference in the demand for dental treatments.
Average age of patients in Edinburgh: 27
Here are the top 10 areas in the UK with the best teeth.
- Edinburgh
- Shetland Islands
- Truro
- Perth
- Glasgow
- Hull
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Cambridge
- Aberdeen
- Middlesborough
Full ranked list
The following numbers indicate each city’s position in the Great British Teeth Index 2025, based on per-capita demand for clear aligner treatment. For this data, 1 is the city with the best teeth, whereas 45 is the city with the worst.
| Rank | City | Population | 1 in Every X |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edinburgh | 563,534 | 37,569 |
| 2 | Shetland | 23,190 | 11,595 |
| 3 | Truro | 327,000 | 3,893 |
| 4 | Perth | 151,000 | 3,512 |
| 5 | Glasgow | 1,719,000 | 3,131 |
| 6 | Hull | 328,518 | 1,785 |
| 7 | Stoke-on-Trent | 396,812 | 1,696 |
| 8 | Cambridge | 308,000 | 1,656 |
| 9 | Aberdeen | 230,000 | 1,643 |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 397,527 | 1,467 |
| 11 | Hereford | 60,415 | 1,373 |
| 12 | Cardiff | 495,378 | 1,290 |
| 13 | Leicester | 571,000 | 1,225 |
| 14 | Doncaster | 314,176 | 1,126 |
| 15 | Manchester | 2,832,580 | 1,088 |
| 16 | Canterbury | 162,400 | 1,055 |
| 17 | Huddersfield | 149,017 | 1,042 |
| 18 | Coventry | 454,584 | 1,022 |
| 19 | Dundee | 147,710 | 965 |
| 20 | York | 215,821 | 959 |
| 21 | Norwich | 206,586 | 956 |
| 22 | Inverness | 50,000 | 943 |
| 23 | Preston | 334,000 | 918 |
| 24 | Stirling | 93,000 | 912 |
| 25 | Leeds | 541,006 | 906 |
| 26 | Birmingham | 2,704,620 | 894 |
| 27 | London | 9,840,740 | 860 |
| 28 | Derby | 274,149 | 851 |
| 29 | Carlisle | 111,350 | 850 |
| 30 | Liverpool | 928,997 | 791 |
| 31 | Wolverhampton | 200,490 | 743 |
| 32 | Portsmouth | 254,846 | 702 |
| 33 | Colchester | 121,859 | 696 |
| 34 | St Albans | 73,660 | 646 |
| 35 | Gloucester | 133,522 | 604 |
| 36 | Darlington | 92,363 | 574 |
| 37 | Bradford | 309,020 | 531 |
| 38 | Exeter | 136,353 | 503 |
| 39 | Peterborough | 189,969 | 501 |
| 40 | Durham | 50,510 | 401 |
| 41 | Chester | 92,760 | 355 |
| 42 | Sheffield | 756,783 | 355 |
| 43 | Plymouth | 67,626 | 333 |
| 44 | Chelmsford | 124,757 | 296 |
| 45 | Oxford | 149,379 | 235 |
Complex teeth straightening cases
A teeth straightening case is classified as complex when the patient has severe malocclusions that require a longer treatment time. Our annual study found that an estimated 49% of all Smile White enquiries were classified as complex, with a gender breakdown of 29% men and 25% women.
Conclusion:
“These findings show how demand for teeth straightening treatments varies across the UK,” commented Smile White Cosmetic Dentist, Bilal Ahmed. “While major cities are seeing a surge in complex cases, many smaller and more remote towns report far fewer alignment issues. Our goal is to make high-quality treatment accessible to everyone, no matter where they live.”
With over 400 Smile White-registered dentists located across the UK, you are never too far from a beautifully straight, uniform smile. Book your consultation today to kickstart your teeth transformation.
Notes:
*Data collected from clear aligner enquiries made to Smile White over the past 12 months
**Complex cases include patients with severe malocclusions who require longer aligner treatments
This ranking reflects the demand for teeth straightening treatments, not overall dental health
Start your journey