Our smile can be one of the first things that people notice about us, so having confidence in it is vital. If we feel self-conscious about our smile, this can affect our self-esteem and, as a result, may mean that we’re not enjoying our lives to the fullest or can take advantage of all the opportunities around us.
Keep reading to find out exactly how a beautiful smile can boost your confidence and how to take the first steps on the road to getting one today.
The Science of Happiness
The simple act of smiling has been proven to boost the mood and lift the spirits – breaking into a grin really can give you an instant shot of happiness and make you feel better as your brain responds to the signals your body is giving it.
When people smile at us, we react, and there’s science behind that, too. Smiling has developed as a social signal and is a way we, often unconsciously, demonstrate benign, positive feelings towards the person we’re beaming at.
Self Esteem Issues
If we’re unconfident with the appearance of our smile, then we may develop habits such as attempting to cover our mouth when we smile or laugh or resist talking to new people. As well as being a symptom of low self-esteem, these things can also make things worse, as we can end up feeling isolated or that we’re not fully connecting with people or opportunities.
Research has even shown that a beautiful, confident smile can help with our career, as colleagues and business partners associate this with competence, positivity, and approachability.
How Can I Get a Beautiful Smile?
If there’s an issue affecting your smile and how you feel about it, such as misaligned or stained teeth, then there is almost always something that can be done to resolve things and have you beaming beautifully.
Teeth Misalignment
Misaligned teeth are something that many of us have or had – and whereas in the past, the only way to straighten a smile was through a long treatment of fixed braces, now there are many innovative options, including invisible aligners and at-home scans, making it a much more accessible prospect. Strayt offers a 3D treatment preview designed by professional orthodontists and a treatment plan geared to your lifestyle.
Teeth Whitening
If you have staining or discoloration on your teeth, this could also be affecting your confidence in your smile. Luckily, this is an issue that can be easily and inexpensively sorted out. Most dental practices now offer teeth whitening treatment, or you could choose to purchase a home whitening kit from a reputable company. Home whitening is quick and easy, and users often see results after the very first treatment and the benefits can be enjoyed for up to six months. There are even organic home kits available that replace the harsh chemicals with gentler, natural ingredients.
Missing Teeth
If you have teeth missing, then this can seriously dent your smile confidence: you may feel self-conscious about speaking to people and find yourself worrying about how your smile appears when you’re at social events. Again, this is an issue that can be remedied: speak to your dentist about implants. Dental implants can replace missing teeth and appear totally natural, so you’ll want to make up for all the years of smiling that you’ve missed!
Misaligned Jaw
If your jaw is misaligned, then this can cause an overbite, which could be making you feel unhappy about the appearance of your smile. Speak to your dentist if this is the case, as orthognathic surgery could be what’s required to resolve this issue. As well as positively affecting your smile and bone structure, the surgery can also make eating, drinking, and talking more comfortable.
Taking Care of the Basics
Establishing (or maintaining) a great oral hygiene routine is a key way to keep your smile beautiful. As well as brushing twice a day for the recommended two minutes a time, consider incorporating dental floss or interdental brushes into your routine to clean the tricky, hard to reach areas between and behind the teeth – your dentist will be able to give you plenty of tips on how to use both of these things.
Avoiding sugary food and drinks is also important to reduce the risk of plaque buildup and gum disease. If you smoke, then quitting is the very best thing you can do for your health in general, but when it comes to the mouth specifically, giving up can lessen your chances of developing oral cancers, reduce the risk of bad breath, and help you avoid gum disease. Smoking is responsible for yellow and brown staining of the teeth’s surfaces, too.
Be mindful of your alcohol consumption: drinking regularly over the recommended limits has also been linked to mouth (and other) cancers, and many alcoholic beverages contain a lot of sugar, which can be harmful to teeth.
And finally, be sure to visit your dentist regularly, who can check the general health of your mouth, give advice when needed, and provide any treatment that you require to keep your smile beautiful.
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