Do you have a Bright Smile?
After meeting someone for the first time, nearly half of all adults think a smile is the most memorable feature. What do you think? How often do you smile at strangers or for selfies on social media?
Your smile can have a powerful impact. When you smile at someone, it triggers an unconscious reaction in their brain, and most often, they’ll smile back. Both of you receive the added benefits of endorphins that are released in your brain as you smile.
With this in mind, it makes sense to naturally soup-up your smile as much as you can. Take a quick glimpse in the mirror or on the camera of your phone. How bright is your smile? If it’s not as heartwarming as you’d like it to be, there are some things you can do to boost the beauty of your grin.
Is your Smile Bright? Rate your smile
Answer the following questions on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being unattractive and 5 being very attractive. The number 2 stands for somewhat unattractive, 3 represents average, and 4 stands for somewhat attractive.
- How straight are your teeth? 1 2 3 4 5
- How white are your teeth? 1 2 3 4 5
- How healthy are your gums? 1 2 3 4 5
Once you have a feel for problem areas in your mouth, you have a place to start for setting goals that will help you build a dazzling smile.
Addressing Dental and Orthodontic Issues
While around 37% of the population sees straight, white teeth as being more attractive and confidence-boosting than crooked or stained teeth, getting braces can be expensive, time-consuming, and painful.
Other options for straightening teeth include clear aligners such as Invisalign or you can see if Smilelove clear aligners are right for you! Take our Smile Assessment today! which can cost less than half the price of traditional braces. However, know that aligners will only work simple to moderate cases of unaligned teeth. Severe cases of crossbite or crooked teeth will require metal braces.
Getting clear aligners is a simple process. Your dentist will take photographs of your teeth and face and will then get some dental impressions of your teeth along with some x-rays. These are all sent to labs where they determine if you’re a candidate for clear aligners.
How do clear dental aligners work?
If you are, the company will scan your impressions and create a 3D model of your teeth in their system. From there the computer will create a step-by-step process where your teeth will be subtly moved over a short course of time to the desired shape. They usually review the process a few times before finalizing your plan.
From there, they create clear alignment trays that are sent to your dentist’s office about a month later. You’ll wear each tray for a period of around 2 weeks which will move your teeth ever so slightly into perfect alignment. You’ll have to wear your aligners nearly all the time, and it can be a little difficult to speak when you have them in. Obviously, you’ll have to take them out to eat. But, over the course of a few months, your teeth will straight gradually.
More expensive choices include invisible braces, which are hidden behind teeth, porcelain braces, and resurfacing with porcelain or another bonding substance.
After wearing braces or aligners of any kind, you’ll need to be fitted for a retainer when the process is complete. Over time, teeth can shift and move back into their original positioning, so it’s important to keep your teeth aligned unless you want to pay and go through the process again.
Brighten those Pearly Whites
Some teeth whitening kits can be purchased over the counter. Many of these contain peroxide, which bleaches teeth to make them brighter. Whitening rinses and kinds of toothpaste can help, too. Some dentists provide bleaching services, which often use stronger bleaching solutions than are found in at-home whitening kits.
If you’re serious about whitening your teeth and improving your gum health at the same time, you might consider blue light treatments such as the reVive Light Therapy for your mouth. This type of treatment combines the use of safe chemicals on your teeth with blue light to speed up the process. Blue light suppresses the bacteria that cause tartar build-up and helps reduce gum inflammation, as well.
Smile with your Heart
While some people feel that a wide smile projects confidence, showing too many teeth in a smile has actually been rated as less attractive than smiles that have more balanced ratios of lips and teeth. This could be because smiles with too many teeth don’t look natural.
The most important thing to remember about a smile is that it should reflect both personal happiness and warmth toward other people. When you’re thinking kind thoughts, smile away. You’ll achieve the perfect smile without even trying.
