In the human body, 43 mimetic muscles can produce thousands of different facial expressions.
It doesn’t matter if we are we sad or angry, our brain will send an electric impulse to those muscles, and as much as we want to hide our true feelings or emotional states, the real picture of our inner condition will be present, much faster than we wish to, on our faces. On the other hand, when we are happy, and the smile arises on the lips, there is another impulse but in an opposite way (nerve signals travel from muscles back to the brain) which creates a sense of joy and pleasure in us. This vicious cycle, happiness-smile-happiness is contagious, and people around us will catch it before we even start to think about it. A big part of a beautiful smile, you will agree, is undoubtedly a look and appearance of the teeth.
A bright and honest smile always causes pleasant feelings in every single person.
Not only in one who gives a smile, but also in a one who receives it. It is a multi-powerful weapon which can destroy every potential barrier in everyday communication. Even when it comes to some uncomfortable situations, a smile can help us to overcome them more easily. However, there is something we often forget about when the smile is at stake; there is a big difference between a genuine, friendly smile and one that is insincere, which looks more like a cramp. There are several reasons why is that so. A smile reveals a lot about life and the character of the man who smiles at us. A sincere smile is from a person who is happy and fulfilled with his life. Ridicule comes from a troubled and unhappy man, who tries to heal his personal dissatisfaction with it, of course, unsuccessfully. On the other hand, the absolute absence of a smile on someone’s face can point us in the total counter direction, to the insecure person who is trying to hide something. In most cases, that “something” is the condition and health of their teeth.
Since we are living in the era of the modern aesthetic dentistry, the number of techniques and treatments to improve the look of our teeth is infinite.
First of all, like in all other branches of medicine, it is essential to start from the origin of the problem, or better said, to act before the real problem occurs. That is the main aim of the preventative and prophylactic dentistry. Everything starts from the proper habits and their implementation into the daily oral hygiene regime. It is crucial to adopt these habits as earlier as possible and to take them to the almost automatic level, in order to achieve the best possible results in prevention of potential disease and in the maintenance of gum and teeth health. The dentist role in these measures is enormous and can be split into two separate parts: educational and therapeutically. Educational component consists of transferring and sharing knowledge to the patients about the appropriate use of a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouth rinses, and dental floss, but also of raising awareness about significance how clean and healthy mouth can have an impact on every aspect of a body – physically and mentally. The therapeutic approach is more complex and consists of choosing the least aggressive and the most conservative treatment, which will fulfil all patient’s needs.
The main problem why some people are not smiling is most often teeth discoloration.
Depending on localisation and the way how they occur, teeth discolorations are separated into three different groups: extrinsic, intrinsic, and internalised. Each of these changes in teeth colour has a different therapy, and it means that some are easier to remove than others. Extrinsic stains are the result of excessive use of coloured food and beverages (mostly coffee and wine) or cigarettes smoking and are more prone to form on the enamel surfaces of the teeth that are less accessible for mechanical cleaning. Treatments such as scaling and polishing are a quick and effective way to resolve these manifestations. Especially polishing, by using prophy paste which gives the final touch to this treatment, provides a pleasant and fresh feel in a patient’s mouth and leaves the tongue to explore the smooth surfaces of the teeth. This great feeling and a brighter smile give patients a higher motivation to maintain the results of therapy, which means that they are improving oral hygiene regime to keep a “new” smile on faces as long as they can. Prophy pastes are available in different flavors, which also have a considerable impact on the child/adult to feel more comfortable at the dental office.
Knowing that a lot of people have an irrational fear from dental procedures – painless treatment, tasty prophy paste, and brighter teeth sounds like a great beginning to build up your confidence and to start smiling without limitations.
On the other hand, intrinsic discolorations form as a consequence of a change in the structure or in a thickness of hard dental tissue. Besides teeth whitening systems and treatments which are widely used to treat these types of teeth color changes, it is crucial to understand that some fluoride products are incredibly useful in making the tooth structure stronger and more resistant on adverse impacts. Fluorine benefits are well known and are extensively applied in caries prevention for more than a half-century and application of topical fluorides two to four times per year, such as fluoride varnish, has become a golden standard for achieving the natural and healthful appearance of teeth.
In the case that “absent smile” is caused by one or more missing tooth, opportunities of new age dentistry are endless.
From a plethora of materials used for dental crowns and bridges to the use of modern technology in implantation, today is easier than ever to overcome this unpleasant situation. When it comes to teeth straightening, for any type of malocclusion (misalignment of one or both jaws, incorrect position of the teeth or any irregularity of the bite), orthodontic treatments are becoming much more productive and less disturbing for the patients. However, the smile is a curved line which can set things straight!
Why is it important to smile?
A smile brings many positive things, and we should be laughing at least ten times a day. Studies have confirmed that laughter reduces blood pressure and stress, increases muscle tone and immune function by raising the level of anti-inflammatory T-lymphocytes, gamma-interferon and B-lymphocytes, cells responsible for antibody-mediated defence mechanisms. Laughter is also a trigger for the release of endorphins, natural substances to relieve pain, but also serotonin, a hormone of happiness. Do not hide your smile, it is a precious gift that everyone has. It doesn’t cost anything for someone who shares it but means a lot to someone who receives it.
Start from today, put that beautiful line on your face, which is better detail than any fancy outfit or a new car, and see how the world and environment around you will to appreciate that.
