October 2nd is World Smile Day and sees the return of the annual hashtag (#SmileDay) – an event celebrated internationally, which aims to encourage us to embrace happiness, be kind, and of course, to smile more. An international celebration all the more prevalent this year; amidst the global pandemic.
We’ve compiled our top reasons to smile (on the 2nd October & beyond!) to celebrate the big day – with our experts Dr Kamala Aydazada (renowned London-based Dentist and founder of kensingtoncosmeticdentist.co.uk) and Pulse Light Clinic‘s expert doctors, as they reveal how to make the most of our smiles. Healthier, happier smiles = healthier, happier minds.
Let’s face it, 2020 hasn’t been easy! But there’s always a reason to turn that frown upside down & flash those pearly whites; no matter how hard you have to look for it. International Smile Day aims to act as a reminder of this – so we’ve compiled the following 5 reasons to inspire you this #SmileDay… and beyond!
1. Smiling instantly relieves the feeling of stress – and elevates your mood.
2. Smiling makes you more attractive to others (and makes you feel good, too.)
3. It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile – so smiling more could actually save us money during our next Botox appointment!4. Smiling makes you look younger – another bonus when it comes to saving some ££ during your next Botox top-up!
5. Smiling has several health benefits – including lowering your blood pressure and boosting your immune system. And who doesn’t want a bolstered immune system during a global pandemic?!
Reclaim Your Smile Confidence
We’ve touched on a few reasons to smile more… but how can we ensure our smiles are healthy & white when we do so? And for those of us conscious of our teeth – who may shy away from showing them in photos, what options do we have to boost our self-confidence and flash a grin? Dr Kamala Aydazada (kensingtoncosmeticdentist.co.uk) shares her top tips.
“The best way to feel good about your smile in my opinion, is to spend more time looking after your teeth and gums at home,” says Dr Kamala.
“You don’t necessarily need to buy expensive products in order to improve your oral health – the health of your smile has more to do with the amount of time and attention you spend on it. Here are a few steps to begin with.”
Dr Kamala’s Top Tops For A Healthier, Whiter Smile
1. As hard as this may sound, try to limit the amount and frequency of the snacks you consume while at home / working from home. Maintaining good oral hygiene these days is more important than ever!
Make sure you take time to brush your teeth thoroughly (for a minimum of 2 minutes, twice a day) first thing in the morning and before you go to bed; paying careful attention to the areas where your gums meet your teeth. This is the most “forgotten” area of the mouth where plaque tends to accumulate more easily – and it is important to clean this area well, using a gentle vibrating and massaging motion to help dislodge plaque.
In addition to using a toothbrush it is paramount to use dental floss and interdental brushes daily, using them to clean any hidden areas in-between your teeth. Spending more time on your at-home oral hygiene will help to fight a number of common dental problems; such as bleeding gums and bad breath.
2. A water flosser is a great addition to your daily home hygiene routine. These handy gadgets direct a stream of water onto your teeth and gums – which is proven to reduce plaque and improve the overall health of your gums. They also offer significant advantages over a conventional dental floss to those having fixed orthodontic appliances and extensive dental restorations. I recommend using a water flosser as a supplement to your regular brushing and flossing regime
3. Reduce your consumption of coloured drinks; such as coffee, tea, red wine, carbonated beverages!
If not possible, try to have a whole drink in one go rather than sipping it throughout a day; as this minimises the time your teeth are exposed to those stains. Another tip is to use a straw in order to avoid the contact with teeth (careful with hot drinks though!)
Rinse your mouth with water after meals and / or chew sugar-free gum after eating to aid self-cleansing of the surfaces of your teeth.
4. If you have to brush your teeth after a snack or a meal, make sure to wait for 30 to 60 minutes before you do so, especially after having acidic foods.
5. Stop smoking.
Smoking produces stains which are very difficult to get rid of and the more cigarettes you smoke, the more stains build up on your teeth surfaces.
This being said even if you don’t smoke (and follow the tips above!) there are some stains that will typically accumulate in hard to reach areas of the mouth; meaning that it’s paramount that you visit a dentist regularly to have professional hygiene.
One of the popular hygiene methods that I offer to my patients is Airflow polish, which is an effective tool when it comes to removing stains. In some cases – such as darker discolouration or deeper stains, professional teeth whitening is another option to brighten up your smile. I would always recommend having professional hygiene first, and only follow up with teeth whitening if colour improvement is needed.”
If you’re still feeling self-conscious of your smile, Dr Kamala concludes:
“Our smiles play a massive role in how confident we feel about our appearance. If you feel that you wish to further improve the colour/shapes of your teeth, there is a wide range of cosmetic dental treatments you could consider.
Invisible teeth straightening with Invisalign, cosmetic contouring with Composite Bonding and Porcelain Veneers are amongst the most requested cosmetic treatments nowadays.”
We’ve talked all things teeth – but let’s not overlook the lips! We asked Shanelle Blake, Senior Skin Specialist at Pulse Light Clinic for her tips on how to prep our pouts & make our lipstick last longer during the pandemic… where even our more trusted lippies are prone to transferring onto our face masks!
Shanelle tells us, “Whilst you are preparing your make up you can prepare your lips to prevent lipstick stains using the following methods:
1. Apply foundation and pat it into your lips; as this helps create an even base.
2. Applying lip primer increases the longevity of your lipstick and prevents it from transferring onto your face mask.
3. Pat translucent powder onto the lips to seal it all in.
Lip stains are the best products to prevent any transfer onto your mask, as their lightweight formulas give your lips a long-lasting lip tint. Alongside lip stains there are a range of matte finish lipsticks that will give you a smudge-proof finish with a hydration.
Main Photo Image Courtesy of Claudio_Scott: Pixabay)
