Image: Isaac Koval
Having a bright, white smile and healthy teeth is a lot more important than just looking good in photos. Your teeth are a window into who you are and how you feel. They can tell you how you are perceived by others, and even give an indication of your overall health. It is essential for you to pay attention to your teeth and especially helpful to notice when there are changes. Below you will find some of the ways your teeth give insights your life and wellbeing.
Teeth can tell you if you are stressed
Did you know that your teeth can show how stressed you are in your daily life? If you have ever woken up in the morning with a sore jaw, you might be grinding your teeth at night. This can cause pretty extensive wear on your teeth, “…your habits literally leave their mark on your teeth. Teeth grinding, for example, is usually a symptom of feelings of stress, anxiety or anger. It can also be an indicator of a very aggressive or competitive personality.” Stress that manifests itself in teeth grinding needs to be dealt with before it causes other health issues. In the meantime, getting a dental night guard to wear can help prevent your teeth from being ground down even more.
Image: drgangemi.com
Teeth can tell you if you need to adjust your medications
Some medications that you take can have an impact on the health of your mouth. They can reduce or increase your saliva production, and change the overall environment in your mouth. “’A swelling of the gums to where it grows over the teeth is a sign the dosage or the medication need to be adjusted,’ the ADA's Anthony Lacopino says. Certain drugs can stimulate the growth of gum tissue. This can make it hard to brush and floss, inviting tooth decay and periodontal disease.” If you notice changes in your oral health, contact the doctor who prescribed your medication and ask if they think you need an adjustment. You might also want to check with your dentist to see if there has been any negative damage done to your teeth.
Teeth can tell people how you feel about yourself
The way we look has a big impact on how we feel. If you have discoloured and decaying teeth, you might not feel great about the way you look. Studies even show that this is the case, “It should be noted also that individuals with missing, discoloured, crooked or unattractive teeth reported devastating repercussions on self-image and sociability.” People who might otherwise be extroverted and sociable can become shy and introverted due to their teeth. Because these negative emotional impacts have been studied fairly extensively, your teeth will likely be a tipoff to others that you don’t feel great about the way you look which can extend to other parts of your life as well.
Teeth can be indicators of your success in life
It may not seem fair, but studies show that having bad teeth can indicate how successful you will be in your life and in your career. This is an unfortunate side-effect of bad dental care, and is linked to the last point. How you feel about yourself can greatly influence your future success. It’s a vicious cycle where your bad teeth lowers your perception of yourself, and that negatively impacts your career as this report illustrates, “…unsatisfying dental appearance weakened individual’s self-esteem, which in turn limits their ability to be socially and professionally active...” If you have healthy teeth and high self-esteem, you will feel better about yourself. This will give you a better outlook on life which will make you more successful.
Teeth can tell you if you are attractive to others
Do you want people to find you attractive? If that’s your goal, then having healthy teeth is a great first step. Match.com reports that surveys show your dating success can be heavily influenced by how nice your teeth are, “Thousands of singles say teeth are the most important asset on a prospective date…” Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you. If it is unappealing due to crooked or stained teeth, then you might not leave the best first impression. Keeping your teeth healthy and white can mean the difference between a second date and a rejection text.
Taking care of your teeth is extremely important. While they might be nature’s gift to you, you have to keep them clean and healthy otherwise your teeth can negatively impact the way people view you. You should also maintain a healthy mouth to ensure you are aware of any changes that can indicate problems elsewhere in your body. Your teeth say a lot about you -whiter teeth can even help you to look younger - just make sure they’re saying good things!