I am obsessed with teeth. The first thing I look at when I meet someone is their set of choppers and the way they smile. My teeth are white, straight, and I owe it all to clear aligners. The problem is that they were way to small for my mouth, and when I smiled, my teeth never showed as much as I wanted them to. So I never liked being in photos.
Lately, I’ve been noticing lots of “older” women’s (and men’s) teeth. I firmly believe that nothing makes you look older or less attractive than bad teeth. I think the condition of your teeth show the world how well you’re groomed, how happy you are and how young you look!
According to a survey I just read, crooked, yellow, chipped, or missing teeth can be looked upon as signs of bad self-care, being uneducated, or looking older.
There are several inexpensive ways you can greatly improve your appearance by tweaking your teeth. First, take care of what you have by brushing and flossing then at least twice a day, and going to the dentist every six months for cleaning. Since I’m obsessed, I get my teeth cleaned every three months.
If you want whiter teeth, that’s fairly simple and inexpensive as well. You can buy over the counter trays with a whitener solution than can change the appearance of your teeth with in a couple of weeks, or for more instant results, you can have them whitened professionally in a dental office.
If you have chipped teeth, a missing tooth or want your teeth super-white, I ran across “snap on” teeth. Relatively inexpensive, it’s a set of teeth that you “snap on” over your teeth and gives the appearance of straight white teeth, hiding your yellow or cracked teeth. Kinda weird, and food gets stuck in them and your real teeth, but they look good.
After brushing and flossing my teeth twice a day, going to the dentist every three months, using whiteners and the snap on teeth, I was ready for something more permanent (Remember, I’m obsessed with my teeth).
What I got was a ceramic overlay on my teeth. It’s a very thin, tough material, and guaranteed not to break or crack. And, you get to choose your color of white. The kind I got were Lumineers. Gorgeous. I love them.
The downside – really expensive – about $625 a tooth. But they were my 50th birthday present to myself. I got six of them on my upper front teeth. Wow. When I looked in the mirror after installation and smiled, I saw larger, pearly white teeth that lit up the room.
How do I feel about being in photos now? I love it. It’s amazing how teeth can change your outlook on life.
Barbara Bishop is President of Santa Monica-based BBPR, Inc. For comments or suggestions, email barbara.bishop@bbprinc.com.
