We’ve all heard the saying that your face is your fortune, but it may be more accurate to say that people believe it’s your smile that can make or break your career, you friendships and your relationships with the opposite sex. The vast majority of people believe that your smile really matters and shapes how you are perceived by others. Even if you faithfully follow a dental hygiene routine, regularly brushing and flossing your teeth, you may need help from cosmetic dentistry for misaligned, broken or missing teeth, or other problems like gum disease.
Can your smile help you succeed?
Your smile is your biggest asset. At least, that’s what the majority of Americans believe, and when so many people believe something, the idea has a power all it’s own. For example, according to a survey, almost all, or 99.7% of the adults surveyed, said that they believe a healthy smile is very important socially.
As many as 96% of people surveyed in another study said that they believe a smile is the one thing that most attracts members of the other sex. As you age, your smile becomes even more important. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, over half of the adults over the age of 50 years, believe that your smile is the single physical feature that remains attractive with age.
And conversely, most people believe that not having a perfect healthy smile can be a social and career disaster. As many as 74% of adults believe that it can adversely affect their careers.
Are you covering up your smile?
Given these widespread and pervasive beliefs about the importance of smiles in the social and career spheres, people tend to become self-conscious if their smiles are not perfect. In extreme cases, they may even try to hide their teeth in photographs – some 18% of people surveyed admit to doing this.
Nearly one out of three or 32% of people say that they are concerned about the way their teeth look. Fortunately cosmetic dentistry has the solution for many common problems, as well as not-so-common ones. Even if you brush your teeth regularly and floss daily as you should, you may need some help and dental care to bring your smile to its perfect state.
How cosmetic dentistry can restore your pearly whites
General and cosmetic dentistry covers preventative, restorative and cosmetic dentistry services. This means that they can treat any and all kinds of problems related to teeth and gums. This includes cavities, broken or misaligned teeth, and many other kinds of issues.
- Teeth whitening
Thanks to new technology, cosmetic dentists can give you a brilliant smile, restoring your teeth to their original pearly white state. In fact teeth whitening is one of the most popular dental procedures, and each year, people spend $1.4 billion on teeth whitening products.
For the best results, though, you need a dentist. As many as 82.5% of people notice a big difference in the appearance of their teeth after they have been whitened by a dentist. - Periodontal disease
Despite following a regular routine of dental care, people do need general dental care to treat cavities and other problems. As many as 74% of all Americans report that they have some kind of periodontal disease.
Periodontal doesn’t just cause physical and social discomfort, but can also affect your overall health, leading to digestive and even cardiovascular problems. - Cavities
Cavities too can happen despite your care. As many as 78% of people have at lest one cavity by the time they reach the age of 17 years. Like periodontal diseases, cavities if left untreated can cause major health problems down the line.
General and cosmetic dentistry can provide all the help you need to restore your teeth to their original sparkling state and regain your beautiful smile.
