From “bad teeth” to confidence to smile
Feeling like you have “bad teeth” can be a real confidence-knocker for anyone. If you're not 100% satisfied with your teeth and smile, working towards smile confidence with the help of braces or aligners can be transformational.
Beyond the aesthetic benefits, taking action to find a teeth straightening solution or whitening service can radically improve people’s emotional well-being, not just their physical appearance. This article discusses why having the confidence to smile is important and how to achieve it - so keep reading to find out how to embrace your smile.
How your smile can help your self-confidence
Smiling is an innate part of our lives and often happens subconsciously, producing a physical reaction in response to our happy hormone. It’s instinctive and a natural expression of how we feel at that moment.
The connection between smiling and our emotional and mental state has been widely researched, and at Impress, we think it’s important too! Smiling is so important that scientists call the study of this human behaviour the 'facial feedback hypothesis'.
You may believe that a smile is only important to the person who gets to see it, but every time those corners of your mouth lift, your endorphins send signals to your brain that promote self-confidence. So, what happens when you’re not happy with your smile and avoid those feel-good responses for fear of facing a smile you don’t like?
How does smiling affect other people?
Smiling and greeting people are common social cues in most cultures and communities. From interacting with people on the metro to meeting your mother-in-law, a smile is part of our interpersonal interactions and what makes us human.
People often mirror emotion, so the lack of a smile when greeting someone can result in uncertainty if meeting someone for the first time. The reality could be about a person's lack of confidence to show a crooked smile. Equally, the saying “smiling is contagious” is because receiving a smile can foster friendliness and mutual understanding between peers and in professional relationships.
Reasons people don't like their smile
People consider bad teeth or dental imperfections as things they would typically like to be changed or fixed. Diastemas, crooked teeth, or discoloured teeth are some of the most prevalent reasons patients don’t like smiling. Self-esteem can be a huge aspect of people's well-being that is affected by having a smile you’re unhappy with. Even though the confidence to smile is so important, there are a lot of reservations about having braces fitted in adulthood due to the lack of aesthetic appeal.
Ultimately, this is one of the biggest benefits of clear aligners: when considering teeth straightening options, they reduce any social pressure as they are much more discreet and removable while yielding incredible results to straighten your teeth.
Adult teeth straightening and socialising
Embracing the decision to straighten your teeth as an adult can be huge - particularly if you have an active social life. Aligners are a great option for active adults as they can be used safely while doing pretty much everything in your daily life, from catching up with friends to contact sports.
Clear aligners are easy to use and comfortable to wear, and the remote app management that Impress offers makes it easy to manage your treatment on the go and still see progress between visits to the orthodontic clinic.
Top 10 ways to achieve confidence with your smile
- Identify what it is that causes you to hold back from showing your teeth
- Think about any changes you can make to your daily routine that are accelerating deterioration
- Use fluoride toothpaste
- Practice posing with different smiles to know the extent of showing your teeth that you’re happy with
- Book an appointment with a GDC-registered orthodontist to discuss your options
- Avoid foods with added sugars to reduce the risk of cavities
- Think about the physiological and psychological benefits of addressing your smile
- Weigh up if taking action is worth it and the impact on your well-being
- Visualise what you want to feel like when you’re happy with your smile
- Remember that everyone's smile is as unique as them!
Did you know?
The Stanford research study found a noticeable increase in happiness from participants mimicking smiling photographs or pulling their mouths toward their ears.
How to get the confidence to smile
Whether you want to use an orthodontist to explore corrective orthodontics to improve misaligned teeth or you want to know more about treatment options to whiten discoloured teeth with teeth whitening, Impress can help you with several options.
LED teeth whitening
This clinic-only solution should always be carried out by a qualified dentist. The medical experts at Impress use a whitening peroxide and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which emit a broad-spectrum blue light to accelerate the whitening gel’s reaction. You can expect immediate results.
Clear aligners
Dental aligners from Impress are our straightforward teeth-straightening system. After an initial assessment by our team of medical experts, you will be given a personalised plan and timeframe that would work to correct any misalignment of your teeth.
Retainers
Maintaining newly aligned teeth should never be overlooked and is a crucial part of looking after your teeth once you’ve completed your dental aligner treatment. We offer retainers post-treatments to patients and also to suitable candidates who did not complete their aligner treatment with us.
There is also a range of natural teeth whitening suggestions out there to try whitening at home such as:
- Bicarbonate soda
- Lemon juice
- Charcoal toothpaste
- Oil pulling
Important: While natural teeth whitening remedies are available, managing exact doses, quantities, and the specifics of natural treatment for your case of teeth whitening can be difficult to quantify to achieve your desired outcome and should be considered with caution.
Teeth alignment and self-esteem
Smiling is linked to social acceptance, but more importantly, having the confidence to smile and be comfortable in our skin is an important part of a happy life. The science behind good oral health, good teeth, and social confidence is clear, so it’s important to prioritise happiness with our teeth if it’s having an impact on how we see ourselves or how we interact with others.
If you want to get your smile confidence sorted, get in touch. You can book a free orthodontic assessment with Impress by phone at +44 20 3808 1072 or WhatsApp or book an appointment online through our website.
Visit us at your nearest Impress clinic to evaluate your case and discover the treatment that’s best for you. We can’t wait to meet you!
Citations
https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2022/10/posing-smiles-can-brighten-mood
FAQ's
How can I be confident with my teeth?
Taking the time to care for your teeth daily and addressing concerns about the health or appearance of your teeth as soon as you feel there is something you're unhappy with is a good approach to feeling confident.
Why is a confident smile important?
Smiling externally has been proven to boost your feelings internally, with good mood chemicals kicking in. A smile can reduce anxiety, stress and social anxiety.
