Could Social Troubles Secretly Be Your Smile’s Fault?

If you have front teeth that are stained, cracked, chipped, dark, or missing, it's possible that some of your personal troubles are your smile's fault. Your smile is one of the first features people notice about you. It is either attractive or repellant because other people make judgments about you based on how your smile looks. Are your teeth even and white? Is your smile inviting? Does it say you are open, full of confidence and high self-esteem? It's amazing how many characteristics other people read into your personality based on your smile's appearance.

Your smile is one of the first nonverbal cues you give to people. You may notice that other people treat you a certain way right when they meet you, often without even talking to you. You may have also heard the phrase that "When you smile, the whole world smiles back at you." If you're ashamed of how your teeth look, if you're embarrassed about your smile, if you're covering up your mouth with your hand when you speak, other people may read these nonverbal signals in a negative way. They may think you have a low self-esteem, that you have little confidence, that you're not capable of a more important job, or of sustaining a deep and lasting personal relationship.

Of all the features you can change about yourself, your smile is one of the easiest and fastest to fix. Once you make a decision to improve your smile, once you find the right dentist who is trained in cosmetic dentistry, you can begin your journey toward having a smile that can lead your life toward personal success.

A Whiter Smile Can Bring in More Green

Tooth whitening can help most people look better, up to 95 percent of them. It's not mere vanity that makes people seek cosmetic dentistry. Smiles are among the first features anyone, including a job interviewer, notices about you. Within the first 30 seconds, a prospective employer may make a first impression based on your smile regarding your openness, friendliness, honesty, intelligence, and social status. The easiest and fastest way to improve your smile, assuming it is healthy already, is through tooth whitening.

According to the American Dental Association, the number of people bleaching their teeth has increased more than 300 percent in the last four years. Generally, you can whiten your teeth using one of three methods: in-office bleaching, at-home bleaching, or whitening toothpaste. In-office bleaching has the most dramatic results with your teeth becoming up to eight shades whiter in about an hour.

To put your best foot forward in a job interview, make sure your smile measures up. Consider a variety of cosmetic dental procedures, from teeth whitening to a set of porcelain veneers.

Attractive Smile Leads to Better Relationships

To get a date with Mister or Miss Right, 84 percent of adults perceive having an attractive smile as important, according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive. This poll of 1,000 American adults between the ages of 18 and 50 years found that more than one-third would not be likely to set up their best friend on a blind date with someone with bad teeth. One-third would not be likely to kiss someone with bad teeth. An overwhelming majority--85 percent--considers a person's smile to be very or somewhat important when meeting someone for the first time. Almost 9 out 10 Americans polled said they thought people with good teeth are more attractive. Among many factors, this poll explored the importance of smiles in the social arena, as well as dating and marriage.

Fortunately, improving a smile is now more accessible than ever because cosmetic dentistry is available to just about everyone. Even the subtlest change in your smile can make a dramatic difference in the way you look and feel about yourself, and the way others perceive you. Talk to your cosmetic dentist and ask about white fillings, teeth whitening, dental bonding, dental crowns and dental veneers. Then sit back in your chair and wait for your new life to begin.

When Changing Your Image, Start With Your Smile

According to studies by social psychologists, most people spend about 30 seconds appraising you before they begin to form a laundry list of impressions about you. Impressions formed in the first 30 seconds might include: your educational level; your career competence and success; your personality; your level of sophistication; your trustworthiness; your sense of humor; and your social heritage. For better or worse, this means that appearances count in today's world, according to Susan Bixler's book The Professional Image, published by Adams Media Corporation.

When meeting someone for the first time, the way you look is even more important than what you say. Sociolinguist Albert Mehrabian found in his comprehensive research on communication that 7 percent of a verbal message comes from the words used; 38 percent comes from the vocal tone, pacing, and inflection; and 55 percent is transmitted by the speaker's appearance and body language. Your smile is one of the first features people notice about you in the business world, as well as in personal encounters.

A new smile can make you look better and younger, boost your self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as increase your communication ability, your sex appeal, and impact on your personal and professional relationships. And getting that smile isn't as complicated as you might imagine. Many people can have a dramatic change in their smile with just a few visits to the dentist. So many options are available today that there is no reason why you need to suffer the injustice of a poor job or a failed relationship just because you don't have an attractive smile.