Don't need to be shiny white, but I've definitely seen some nasty teeth.

Yellow teeth are fine! Just remember to visit your dentist every 6 months. Regarding straight teeth, if its too misaligned, it could cause more wear/damage on certain teeth depending on the position. I feel like everyone's experience will be different since everyone eats differently and uses their teeth in different ways (like using teeth to open stuff).

I mean... how yellow are we talking though? Ahaha... o.o

Teeth blackening was/is part of some cultures. But white teeth is considered beauty standard in modern days.
Teeth treatment is expensive so I try to keep my dental health in good state.

As someone who has had to go to the dentist a lot over the past few weeks, it sucks. Take care of your teeth. And if whitening your teeth comes at the cost of enamel or overall tooth health, don't do it. Yeah you can get crowns or covers or any number of cosmetic alterations, but your own real teeth are still best and easiest on your body. Makes me really wish that we grew a third set of teeth in like our 30s, because ~6 years old is way too soon to understand how important teeth are

Where's the option for "I care about my teeth, but there's nothing I can do about them"?
I guess that's also kind of an American concept, with our terrible health insurance. 🤣

"Yellow teeth are fine as long as they're healthy".

I mean the tone of withe they have has only to do with your teeth enamel using some stuff to whiten them is a bit absurd,it's as if you were painting your teeth. It's just as how some people straighten their perfectly functional teeth with braces .Anything past aligning them properly to have a good bite is usually risky and can have nasty side effects).

I had braces for almost 20 years
when I took them off, a gap formed in the middle of my front teeth in less than 2 years
parents money well spent

Teeth are not naturally as white as paper. The only way to get teeth that white is with whitening chemicals.

My impression is that teeth straightening is common in Canada, but teeth whitening not so much. I’ve never met anyone with freakishly white teeth or anyone with freakishly yellow teeth. Natural is fine IMO

Pure White teeth actually appear creepier and more unnatural. Mostly because they don't appear like that without some chemical help.
So it's actually white-ish teeth that are good to have, at least around here, not pure white. Just figured I'd mention it.