Hey! I'm Frankie, and welcome to my dental advice blog. I'm a foodie and I love sweet treats, but I also love my teeth! It can be hard to keep your dental health in top condition when you've got a sweet tooth, but it's not impossible. Over the years, I've learned tons of great advice from friends, family members and dentists, and I'd love to share it with you. My blog is here to give you all the tips and tricks you need to stay free of decay and other tooth problems without giving up all your favourite foods and snacks.
Cosmetic dentistry is about more than just your teeth. It's about hygiene, self-esteem, comfort and how your teeth look. All those things feed into one of the most powerful tools you have: your smile! Smiles are important for communication and overall appearance. How comfortable we are smiling and the pearly whites we show off when we do so can have a big impact on how we're seen by ourselves and others. Here are three things you may not know about your smile and how cosmetic dentistry can impact your life in ways you may not have realised.
First smiles
Most babies start to have social smiles at about 6 weeks. Social smiles involve a baby smiling in response to another human's smile, using it as a powerful tool for communication. Before this time babies may have reflex smiles, but they don't involve any emotion or complex brain activity. A mother's brain shows an intense response to their own baby's smile, giving researchers an idea of how love and bonding happen on a scientific level. For most babies, all of this will be going on well before teeth appear, but not all! Around 1 in 2000 babies are born with at least one tooth, making those first smiles extra special.
One smile, two smiles, three smiles!
There are actually three types of smiles, though of course every smile is one of a kind. A commissure smile is the most common and comes when the lips are pulled up and out, mostly showing the front upper teeth. A cuspid smile is diamond shaped, with the lips first lifting upwards, often showing some of the upper gum as well the front teeth and incisors. Finally, a complex smile involves both upper and lower lips moving to show the upper and lower teeth. Many of us use different teeth in different situations, such as a commissure smile when we're greeting people. The type of smile you have is important in cosmetic dentistry, as it will help your dentist work with you to identify what work will have the biggest impact on your smile.
Your teeth are the most important part of your smile
While lipstick on perfectly shaped lips may seem important it turns out that your teeth have the biggest influence on your smile. A 2013 study found that the perceived attractiveness of a smile was most closely correlated to how attractive the individual's teeth were. While there was a correlation with how attractive the lips were, teeth were the clear winner. How your teeth appear in your smile can have an effect on your self-esteem and your personality, especially if your teeth are discoloured. It's no wonder that people who decide to have cosmetic dental procedures often find it has a big impact on areas of their lives they would never expect.
Share12 February 2018
