Are Donald Trump's Teeth Real? Dentists Tell Us Their Take On His Perfect Chompers

Every facet of Donald Trump's appearance has been picked apart for years. Between the speculation that Trump could be balding, the widespread belief that he may have gotten a facelift, or the endless commentary about his signature orange tinge, the former president's looks often drive headlines and conversations. Questions about whether Trump's teeth, which he often flashes during his public speeches, are real or fake, have also surfaced. For example, the entrepreneur's toothy grin supplied late night hosts with a slate of new material in December 2017 after he slurred his words during a speech about Israel.

"We all know what's going on here," said "The Daily Show" host Trevor Noah (via People). "This used to happen to my grandfather all the time. His dentures would start falling out and he wouldn't be able to finish his sentence." Noah also inspired users to trend #DentureDonald on X, formerly known as Twitter. James Corden, on the other hand, quipped on his late night show: "I knew he had a screw loose, I didn't know he had a tooth loose." And while actor and singer Neil Patrick Harris, who was guest-hosting "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" at the time, took a hard stance against making fun of Trump's policies, he couldn't resist bringing the denture jokes, too.

Because jokes aren't always based on truth, Nicki Swift reached out to two dentists to get to the root of Trump's famous smile.

According to Dr. Kevin Sands, a renowned board certified cosmetic-dentist located in Beverly hills, Donald Trump's teeth are probably fake. "The chances of any man of his age having a perfect smile with teeth that are properly straight, proportionally sized and perfectly shaped without gaps, chips or other asymmetry or inconsistencies without any cosmetic dentistry or intervention is basically an impossibility," said Sands, who claimed that Trump's smile was likely constructed by a cosmetic dentist. The tells include identically-sized teeth with unnatural density, color, and opacity. 

Trump most likely spent top dollar on his dental work, which could have cost as much as $100,000 for a full makeover. As for why Trump would decide to get dental work? It's the same reason as everyone else: To have a perfect smile. "Most [smiles] can be drastically improved and take a decade off their looks — even with subtle changes," said Sands. "His may not have been subtle since the work was more aggressive and the materials and techniques were bigger and bolder and more artificial looking." Trump may have also been motivated by the natural deterioration that comes with age, including receding gums, moving teeth, and deflated lips.

Cosmetic dentist Dr. Dani Benyaminy also believes that Donald Trump's teeth could be the result of cosmetic dentistry. "It appears that Donald Trump underwent a full mouth reconstruction with upper and lower veneers and crowns to correct potential bite related issues and to improve the overall aesthetics," said Benyaminy. "The change improved the color and proportions of his teeth giving him a more bigger more youthful smile." Benyaminy also estimated that Trump's procedures weren't cheap. According to the dentist, Trump's cosmetic makeover could've set him back six figures — anywhere from $90,000 to $120,000.

With that said, only Trump knows whether his dental visits amount to preventive cleanings or much more invasive procedures. As for what caused his slurred words back in December 2017? Then-White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders blamed his speech issues on a dry mouth. "I know that there were a lot of questions on that. Frankly, pretty ridiculous questions," Sanders said (via Politico). "The president's throat was dry." However, Sanders wasn't the only high-ranking government worker who attempted to assure the public that Trump was fine. Former White House spokesman Raj Shah also claimed that Trump's slurring was caused by a dry throat.