Have you ever asked a loved one what they love about you? In many cases, family members and friends will tell you that it is your smile that they love (among other traits, of course). Smiles provide so many benefits to us and the people that we see and meet every day. Smiles welcome you. Smiles can pick you up when you are feeling down. And just like laughter, smiles can be quite contagious. But you too need to love your smile well.

The Social Media Smile Obsession

Instagram, with Pinterest and Facebook also leading the charge, has countless posts about smiles. When we see great smiles on social media sites such as these, it can make us feel bad about our own smiles, especially if we aren’t in love with them (and even when we do love our smiles, phony Instagram smiles can have us second guessing). The truth is that Instagram smiles are often edited and unrealistic, and for this reason, they are potentially dangerous.

That said, if you aren’t in love with your smile, there are 5 things you can do to love your smile.

5 Ways to Love Your Smile

1. Understand your views on what a great smile looks like.

This is all about challenging your beliefs. When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you look back at yourself and see confidence, motivation, trust, and honesty? Those are excellent traits and can really help you when you are together with others. Becoming more confident with your smile has to begin with you, however. If you compare your smile to Instagram influencers, celebrities, or even that beautiful person walking down the street, you might feel a bit down. It is important to remember that most of these images have been edited to accentuate their smiles. It’s simply not reality. Look for realistic beauty vs. unrealistic. But that person walking down the street may have invested in a smile makeover—and you should know that you can too.

2. Focus on why you smile.

When we smile, we exhibit joy, happiness, love, excitement, and many other emotions. Smiles often come naturally too, even from the smallest things. Consider why you smile. You smile when laughing at a funny joke. You smile when you receive praise from your boss. You smile when looking at your children. And you definitely smile when your significant other walks into the room. So even if your smile isn’t quite what you might like, try not to hide it.

3. Practice your smile.

This might sound a bit off kilter, but consider standing in front of the mirror and practicing your smile. Trust us when we say that this is actually a great way for you to build self-confidence and love your smile a bit more every day. And just as with anything in life, practice helps to make perfect. Be sure to practice more than one smile too. Practice a reward smile, a flirtatious smile, a wistful smile, and even an embarrassed smile to help you get going. You might be happily surprised with what you see.

4. Take care of your overall health.

Your oral health and that lovely smile are just part of your overall health. When you take care of yourself by eating healthy foods, getting in some exercise throughout the week, and practicing self love and self-care, you’ll feel better about yourself and that will make it easier for you to smile. Combine those activities for your body with oral health activities, such as brushing, flossing, and dental cleanings during your regular dental checkups, and you’ll be setting yourself up for health success. And that is definitely something to smile about!

5. Consider a smile makeover with Bruce Sexton DDS

If after all of this, you still don’t feel like you have the right smile for you, your cosmetic dentist near Grand Rapids, MI, can help. So, now you’re probably wondering how we can help you with your smile. If you are not confident with your smile, and think to yourself, “I hate my teeth,” or “My teeth are ugly,” think again. With the right cosmetic dentistry procedures through a smile makeover, you can have the lovely teeth you have always dreamed of.

The Bruce Sexton DDS team is here to help you love your smile.

If you are overdue for a visit to your family dentist, why wait any further? And, if you have been searching for a dentist in Wayland, MI, we’re happy to tell you that you don’t have to look any further. Come on in for a dental cleaning and a smile consultation. We’ll take the time to listen to your concerns and needs and we’ll partner with you on the best smile makeover that will help you love your smile well.

Give the Bruce Sexton DDS office a call or request an appointment using our online form. We look forward to seeing you.