When you know how to wield your smile, you can command a room and make a great first impression. Smiles make us seem more approachable, more empathetic, and more confident. In fact, smiling can actually make us feel more confident. But how do you get confident in your smile in the first place? Here are a few suggestions.

Make sure to practice

Although it might sound strange, practice really does make perfect when it comes to smiling. When we’re not used to smiling much or we’re “shy” with our smile (i.e. smiling close-mouthed), then we don’t have the muscle memory to easily smile on command. Smile-improving exercises do exist, and these facial workouts can also help you keep your skin looking smoother and brighter, as well. With a little practice in the mirror each day until you nail it, you won’t have to worry about getting that frozen look when photograph time comes around.

Restore your teeth to brilliance

There are a lot of people who aren’t confident about their smile primarily due to their teeth. It’s no overstatement to say they may feel entirely unable to smile fully. However, even if there has been significant damage to your teeth or long-standing alignment problems you have never had treated, it’s not too late to fix them with the help of a dentist, and you can find out more here. From restorative treatments to orthodontics, there are always improvements we can make.

Deny that discolouration

The whiteness of your teeth might be another issue that can affect how confident you do or do not feel when it comes to your teeth. Look here to find more about how to protect your teeth from staining, including which foods you might want to avoid too much of. At-home whitening kits and in-chair whitening treatments from the dentist can make a big difference, too.

Bring out your genuine smiles

If you only smile using your mouth, you may find that it has a rather fake quality to it. To make sure you’re using the full power of your smile, you need to smile with your eyes, as well. When you smile genuinely, it tugs up on your cheeks, bringing a warm twinkle to the eyes. So, tightening the wrinkles under your eyes and enhancing them with the right makeup can make a big difference.

Give it a flash of colour

While a genuine and natural smile is what you want to aim for, that doesn’t mean that you can’t take the time to dress it up a little, too. A nice new shade of lipstick can really help make your mouth pop. To get an idea of which shade might look best on you, you should try to find your natural makeup palette.

A great smile can help you transform how you feel about yourself, not to mention how you look in conversation, in photos, and in daily life. Hopefully, the tips above bring you a little closer to the free and easy smile you want.

We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with Ten Dental.