Your Teeth and Self-Esteem are Connected
Your smile is one of the first things anybody notices about you. A good smile can be welcoming and encourage people to trust you more. However, not everyone loves their smile. Some people may have crooked teeth, discolored teeth, or an overbite, or they are not confident in the way their smile looks. Unfortunately, many people are self-conscious about their smiles. More than half of Americans feel insecure about their teeth. They tend to cover their mouth when they laugh and even try to smile without showing their teeth. While it may not seem like such a big deal at first, this insecurity can have quite an impact on your self-esteem.
While we all know how crucial your teeth are to your oral health, your teeth and self-esteem have quite a connection. As we said previously, your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. If you are insecure about your teeth, you may be less willing to smile and show your teeth. Being insecure about your teeth often leads to a decrease in your self-esteem. Smiling is a great way to improve your mood, but those who do not feel confident in their smile often keep themselves from experiencing these benefits.
It is not uncommon for people to feel insecure about their teeth. However, it is vital that they understand the impact their teeth have on their self-esteem, whether good or bad. If you do feel insecure about your teeth, there are plenty of options available to you to transform your smile. Contact Cosmetic & Family Dentistry of Las Colinas today to learn how we can help you be proud of your smile.
Learn More: Top Cosmetic Dentistry Solutions for Ugly Teeth
Hiding Your Smile
In the study we linked earlier, we mentioned how more than half of Americans feel insecure about their smiles. Whether because they have crooked teeth, stained teeth, or an uneven bite, people will go out of their way to hide their smiles from those around them. However, by covering your smile or trying to hide your teeth, you not only put your oral health in danger.
For example, your teeth have many purposes, one being they help you talk. However, people try to hide their dental flaws, either by mumbling or speaking quietly. They do not open their mouth as wide. Unfortunately, this has a negative impact on the way you speak. Covering your mouth or changing how wide you open your mouth forces you to speak unnaturally. When you continue this behavior, the muscles in your face became rigid and inflexible, staying this way forever. Your speech will be forever changed, and so too will your smile.
It is a vicious cycle. Having dental problems cause you to feel insecure, which negatively impacts your self-esteem, causing you to hide your teeth. By doing so, you change your smile, which changes how people view you and how you view yourself.
The Impact of Smiling
As we said, people who feel that they have bad teeth or an unattractive smile will try to avoid showing off their pearly whites. Not only do their own perceptions of their smiles impact their self-esteem and mental health, but not smiling does so, too. Do you know the mental health benefits of smiling?
Smiling, regardless of if you are faking it or not, is a quick and easy way to boost your mood. Smiling activates neural messaging in your brain, triggering a release of mood-boosting chemicals such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. So, even just flashing a smile can improve your mood. Additionally, smiling can also reduce stress, thanks to the release of these chemicals.
Smiling is also contagious. Mirror neurons in our brains help us copy or reflect the behavior we see, linking back to the capacity for empathy. We understand the feelings and intentions behind most smiles and wish to reciprocate them. However, knowing how smiling benefits your self-esteem and mental health may not be enough for those who are insecure about their teeth. They may still feel too ashamed to smile in front of others.
Fortunately, those with low self-esteem due to bad teeth, missing teeth, poor dental hygiene, or other dental problems can always improve their smile with cosmetic dentistry.
What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
The purpose of cosmetic dentistry is to provide you with a healthy smile that you can be proud of. No longer do you have to live with missing, stained, or crooked teeth. You can improve the appearance of your smile with the help of cosmetic dentistry. Through cosmetic dentistry, you can straighten your teeth, whiten your smile, replace or repair damaged or missing teeth, and so much more. The overall look of your smile is improved through a host of cosmetic dentistry treatment options. Some of these options offered at Cosmetic & Family Dentistry of Las Colinas include:
- Porcelain Veneers
- Porcelain Crowns
- Invisalign Clear Braces
- Full Smile Makeovers
- True Laser Teeth Whitening
- And more.
Dental implants, dentures, and braces are also other techniques that help our dental care experts improve the aesthetic of your smile. Once we improve your smile with our cosmetic dentistry treatments, you will be able to speak freely, eat better, and smile and laugh confidently. Through these procedures, the goal is to help you feel confident in your smile. While we may not want to admit it, looks matter to many. And that often starts with our smile. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry conducted a study that found people with good smiles are viewed by others as being more attractive, more successful, more interesting, and more intelligent. As you can see, people value how teeth look, even when they don’t think they do. We all look for an attractive smile.
Improving Your Smile
Cosmetic dentistry is one of the best ways to improve the appearance of your smile. Pair this with proper oral hygiene practices like brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day, and you can have a confident smile you can be proud of.
After you have improved the overall appearance of your teeth, you can enjoy all the benefits of smiling. You can freely smile, releasing feel-good chemicals, such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, without feeling self-conscious. Your smile plays a more important role in your mental health and self-esteem than many realize. If you are insecure about your teeth and are ready to make a change, contact Cosmetic & Family Dentistry of Las Colinas today and let us give you a smile makeover today.
