What’s in a smile?

February 13, 2017

As February 14th comes around once again, many of us will be turning our thoughts to St. Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re planning a surprise for that special someone, or sending a secret card, it’s hard to escape the hearts and love poems that seem to appear everywhere at this time of year. However, before you part with your cash, we’d like to highlight the power of the smile, and how it can help you in your relationships this month.

According to the Oral Health Foundation, a smile can do wonders for our relationship building potential. By smiling, we straightaway seem more confident, and become more endearing to those around us. Through smiling, we are more likely to connect with others, and to lay the foundations for new relationships, or build on those that already exist.

As well as supporting us in our new relationships, romantic or otherwise, by flashing our smile we are also telling those around us a lot about ourselves. For example, if it is evident from your smile that you take pride in your oral hygiene, and take your tooth care regime seriously, then others will assume that it is likely that you look after yourself in other ways too. Likewise, when meeting new people, you’ll be able to tell a lot from their smile about what they eat, how often they brush, and how seriously they take their overall personal care.

Whilst smiling at others might be a good start in forging new relationships, the Oral Health Foundation were also able to point out some things to avoid. In a survey, they found that the number one most hated oral habit was when people walked around with pieces of food stuck between their teeth. In addition to this, their respondents also disliked discoloured teeth, bad breath and were displeased at the idea of teeth being brushed less than the recommended twice per day.

So, what do you need to do to improve your chances this February? We’ve got some top tips for you, to keep you on the right lines with your oral hygiene:

• Brush your teeth twice a day, for at least two minutes each time
• Clean in between your teeth at least once per day, using interdental brushes, or dental floss
• Change your tooth brush at least every 3 months
• Cut down on sugary foods and drinks
• Keep up your regular check-ups with your dentist, as often as they recommend