Wednesday, March 7, 2012

The Perfect Smile

How does that old song go “you’re never fully dressed without a smile”? How true that statement is, your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. From my research a great smile is one of the biggest physical impressions you can make when first meeting other people; it can make you appear wealthy, attractive, intelligent and successful. The power of a sincere smile can actually influence how other people are feeling and even change how we ourselves feel… Yeah, that’s powerful!



Bleaching- Best thing you can do for yourself is to start bleaching your teeth. I would recommend going into your dentist having them make a mold of your teeth and buying the bleach there. My mom has this saying… If you’re going do something, do it right! In all honesty, if you do this right it will save you money and you will get the best result faster. The brand of bleach my dentist uses is Opalescence and I have been super happy with the results. Note: Bleaching is really effective and once you have your teeth the color you want, you only have to bleach your teeth every couple of months.  Picture by Me, Ashlee B.

Bleach strips- Crest has ones that I have heard are good. I bought them once and wasn’t super impressed. I guess something is better than nothing… right?

Braces- If you have crooked teeth braces are what you need. Research orthodontists to find out which one will give you the teeth you have always wanted. Just think 6 months to 2 years and you will have the teeth you have always wanted. Note: This is expensive ($2,000-5,000.00)and painful but well worth it in the long run. This is an investment in you and one of the best you can make.


Bonding- If your teeth are straight but have a few chips and/or gaps… Bonding is a good option. It starts around $150.00 a tooth and only lasts a 7-10 years, but is much better than grinding down your whole tooth and replacing it with a veneer. Note: make sure that you have your teeth bleached before they apply the bonding. You can’t bleach bonding, once they have matched the color and applied the bonding you are stuck with that color till you get the bonding redone.

Tooth Shaving- If you have a tooth that is a little longer than you like, just ask your dentist to shave it down a bit. My canine teeth were a little longer then I liked and my dentist offer to shave them down, the little adjustment made a big difference.

Veneers- Please note that if the above methods are not producing the smile you have always wanted, then and only then are veneers a good option. I have several friends and a cousin who have gone this route and their teeth are beautiful, it has greatly improved their appearances. Actually funny thing just happened, a friend of mine announced to me that she had veneers right as I was about to make this post. Hers were so super natural I would have never guessed.
Veneers are porcelain teeth that are fitted over your teeth (well what’s left of your teeth after the doctor has shaved them down to a tiny nub.) Veneers are super expensive and if done wrong look horrible. One of my best friends got veneers and that doctor didn’t do it correctly so bacteria started eating away under the veneers and she had to get them redone. One of the former Miss Utah’s was offered veneers as part of her “prize package” for winning the pageant… the dentist did such a horrible job that she too had to go to another dentist to fix the mess.

Basic Care for your teeth: Brush twice a day morning/night, floss once a day, and get them cleaned by your dentist every 6 months. This is random but I cannot use crest toothpaste (neither can my sister) there is something in it that reacts poorly with my body chemistry. I am a faithful Colgate user and have been happy with it for over 12 years.   Picture by me, Ashlee B.

Note: Please research the right dentist for all of these processes, my sister while living in Seattle had her son brake half of his front tooth off and had her family dentist do the bonding. Her dentist did a horrible job fixing it (shape and color didn’t match at all).
Note: The Dentist I have been the happiest with is Dr. Bingham of Bingham Dental in Magna, he has shaved my teeth and shaped my bonding. He is also the dentist who re-did Miss Utah's blotched Veneers.

Did you know:
-Women smile more than men.
-That if you raise your chin while you smile it show’s confidence or when you lowered your chin while smiling it suggests a lack of confidence.
-More over when you lowered your chin and tilt your head to the side while smiling it portrays flirtation.
-If you raise your eyebrows while smiling it shows interest.
-When first meeting someone if you smile slowly, you will come across as genuine and the meeting will be memorable.

Oral Health Facts:
A healthy mouth relates to a healthy person. Gum disease can contribute to other diseases such as diabetes, pregnancy complications and heart disease.
Children model their parent’s oral hygiene routines; if you want them to develop their own good habits let them see you brush, floss and rinse.

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