How To Be Less Self-Conscious About Your Teeth

Do you smile with confidence or do you fear that your yellow teeth might peek if you smile too wide? Teeth are an important part of your personality. They are, after all, one of the first features someone notices when they look at you. If you’re self-conscious about your teeth, know that it’s very natural. You’re not the only one.

Teeth and your self-confidence go hand in hand. It’s normal for people to be conscious about the way they look, and teeth are a prominent part of their appearance. Take good care of your teeth, not simply to boost your oral health, but also to give your self-esteem an enormous rise.

How to Be Less Self-conscious About Your Teeth

Being conscious about your teeth and hiding your smile isn’t the best way to go about it. You need to find a way to develop more confidence in the way you look. A bright smile isn’t too hard to achieve either. Here are some tips to keep your oral health in the best state and feel less conscious about your teeth:

●     Maintain Good Oral Health

You’ve been hearing it since forever, but it’s an important one so we’ll say it again. Brush your teeth twice a day and use devices that go in between your teeth or floss at least once a day. Choose a dental toothbrush with soft bristles so that it doesn’t hurt your gums and spend at least two minutes thoroughly brushing away all the food residues and plaque so that they won’t damage your teeth. Electric power brushes have timers to ensure you spend adequate time brushing.

●     Visit Dentist Regularly

Alongside good oral care, make regular visits to your dentist so that any dental problems can be addressed in time. Taking care of the problem in its preliminary stages often means that your healthy smile will be restored with a simple and affordable procedure. Delaying treatment, not only worsens the tooth’s condition, but also its appearance, bringing down your confidence level.

Crooked and misaligned teeth are also a common problem, especially in children and teens, giving them one more reason to feel self-conscious. Talk to your dentist about options available to resolve your problem. Orthodontic care can provide solutions giving you a smile that you can feel good about.

●     Whitening Treatments

Food and beverages stain your teeth, leaving them dull, yellowish and unattractive. Other than regular brushing, you can also consider whitening treatments. In-office tooth whitening and take home whitening kits are available from your dentist.

No matter which whitening treatment you choose, the whitening results can be enhanced and prolonged with the PerioSciences Oral Care System – White Care. It offers a complete package, with all the oral care products you’ll need to keep your teeth healthy, shiny and white! These products contain powerful antioxidants to help restore your teeth’s natural balance after your whitening procedure and promote a healthy oral environment.

Self-conscious About Yellow Teeth?

Again, you’re not alone! Yellow teeth are a common problem and are enough to affect anyone’s self-confidence.

Here are some simple remedies to restore white teeth:

●     Brushing

Brush your teeth after you consume food and drinks that are likely to stain teeth. Acidic foods and drinks can cause enamel erosion, also depleting the whiteness in your teeth, Use a whitening toothpaste, such as PerioSciences AO ProToothpaste – White Care to help brush away stains and restore a clean, polished surface.

Teeth Whitening Myths

●     Coconut Oil Pulling

Though there are no studies to confirm its scientific reasoning, people have been using oil pulling to whiten teeth for a very long time. Use high quality, organic coconut oil for the procedure. Swish 1 tsp coconut oil in your mouth for 10 minutes before spitting it out and rinse your mouth afterwards. Again, this is non-scientific, unproven and the supposed benefits have nothing to do with whitening.

●     Whitening Teeth With Apple Cider Vinegar

The idea has always been to make a solution of 2 tsp apple cider vinegar and 6 ounces of water in a bottle. Swish just a bit of the mixture in your mouth for half a minute before spitting it out. Rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth. However, don’t continue the procedure for more than a couple of days. This is another old wives tale that is unproven. It is also dangerous to brush your teeth so soon after using acidic vinegar.

Do’s Of Good Oral Hygiene

• Do brush twice each day. Spend at least two minutes brushing all the surfaces, especially around the edges, because that’s where plaque can easily be missed.
• Do visit your dentist regularly. Regular checkups by a professional are important to keep your teeth in the best condition.
• Do use devices that remove bacteria in between the teeth. Use at least once a day, either before or after brushing, to remove the food particle and plaque in places where it’s hard for the brush to reach.

Don’ts Of Good Oral Hygiene

• Don’t brush aggressively. Using a hard brush or brushing too hard can abrade the enamel off your teeth and also damage your gums over time. Soft bristle electric brushes are excellent
• Don’t bite your nails. It’s a common habit, often in children. It scratches the enamel and damages your teeth. Other than damaging your teeth, it also shows a lack of confidence, something you’ll want to think about if you want to polish your child’s self-confidence or your own.
• Don’t grind your teeth. Of course, you can’t help it if you do it in your sleep, but mouth guards can help with that. You can have them custom-made to fit your teeth.

Which Minerals are Important for Healthy Teeth?

If you want a healthy smile and the overload of self-confidence that comes with it, you’ll want to include the following minerals and vitamins in your diet:

Calcium

Calcium is very important for strong bones and teeth. Other than milk, cheese and yoghurt areis an excellent sources offor calcium and casein. Casein is a protein vital for building tooth enamel.

Magnesium

Magnesium helps your body absorb calcium, which in turn helps in the development of healthy bones and teeth. Dark leafy vegetables, nuts and grains are all good sources of magnesium.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps heal sore gums. Citrus fruits, including grapefruit and oranges, are rich sources of Vitamin C. However, since they are acidic, rinse your mouth with water after consuming them to prevent enamel erosion.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is essential to ensure normal production of boosts the activity of saliva in your oral cavity, and its function of washing away damaging acids and cavity-causing bacteria. Fish, eggs and carrots are excellent sources of Vitamin A.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is another mineral involved in the absorption of calcium in the bloodstream. Without adequate Vitamin D in your diet, you cannot expect to enjoy the benefits of calcium. Consuming dairy products, eggs and fish ensures your body is getting enough Vitamin D.

Are Children Self-conscious About Their Teeth?

Adults aren’t the only ones conscious about their teeth. Children, especially teens, are even more susceptible to a loss in self-esteem as a result of poor oral hygiene. Dental disorders, like untreated tooth decay, tooth loss, and crooked teeth, that affect the oral aesthetics can negatively impact children’s psychosocial behavior.

Irregularities in teeth are often the source of teasing and harassment among school children. Since they are still in their developmental stages, they are vulnerable to comments that others pass about them.

It can directly impact their social interactions, self-esteem and mental health. Though healthy teeth are very important for your overall health, its aesthetic aspect cannot be overlooked either, especially in children.

Maintain good oral hygiene in children from the beginning so they can enjoy a beautiful, healthy smile in the most important years of their life. 

Accepting and Working With Your Smile

If you feel self-conscious about your teeth, there are plenty of ways to turn the situation around. Try PerioSciences' range of antioxidant-rich oral care products to help improve your oral health and establish a smile you’re confident in!