I've always been a smiler.
In grainy black and white images from my youngest years, evolving to grainy matte finished images from a Kodak Instamatic, I always mugged for the camera like my parents were paparazzi.
Even when I was snaggled toothed.
Even when my my front two teeth rivaled Bugs Bunny, disproportional to the rest and with a gap I could slurp soup and spaghetti through.
Even when my mouth was full of metal, and sweet mercy, I had to wear full headgear! Talk about your modern torture device…! I wouldn't allow it at the time, but what I wouldn't pay now for a photograph of me then; not pretty, but an important determiner to the smile I would eventually have.
Remember that feeling when you finally got your braces off? Mmmmm…I ran my tongue over my teeth for days!
Smiling exudes confidence. Your outer countenance can even affect how you feel on the inside (though I know the opposite is true, too).
Making eye contact and smiling at others can brighten their day with almost no effort.
Smiling causes fewer wrinkles than frowning. Is this true? Or am I just perpetuating myth?
A person's smile is one of the first things I notice about them. It's probably the biggest factor in why we've invested a not-so-small fortune in our children's teeth. The two oldest are missing 14 permanent teeth between them; at least one has required bone grafting (gruesome); they will require five dental implants; all three of our children have worn traditional metal braces.
Our children's smiles are important investments from us as parents; we know that throughout their lives straight teeth will strengthen their confidence and have long-term health benefits–physical and emotional.
I bet they'll never give that thought.
Well, not until they have children of their own with crooked teeth ;).
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If you're interested in winning a new smile for your child, you aren't going to believe the contest sponsored by Invisalign at Blissfully Domestic! They're giving away an Invisalign Teen Treatment valued at up to $5,500!!! OH MY WORD–I wish this contest had run before all three of ours were treated with traditional metal brackets! I can promise you this, given a choice, they would have chosen invisible Invisalign over silver and wires.
Watch this fun video from a few moms talking about smiles and instilling self confidence in children, then click over to Blissfully Domestic to learn the FIVE DIFFERENT WAYS you can enter the contest!!
Read more posts in this series!
- Just Show 'em Your Smile @ My Home Sweet Home
- Just Smile @ Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
- On Insecurity. And the ugly teeth. @ Musings of a Housewife
- Show Me Those Pearly Whites @ Sassy Irish Lassie
- 6th Grade Dreams and a Lifetime of Reality @ Moosh in Indy
- The Power of a Smile @ A Southern Fairytale
Thanks to Invisalign and Bliss Media for sponsoring this post and getting me thinking about the importance–and beauty–of smiling.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! I just took my youngest for her Invisalign fitting last week. Think I’d still qualify??
I wish my parents would have done that. I really don’t like my teeth. I don’t use the word “hate” because I know that there are worse teeth out there, and well… I’m just grateful for the things I do have. You are right though I lost ALOT of confidence and still do because of my smile. It took me years to have an open smile for a photo.
I do wish I had gotten braces. My teeth aren’t in terrible shape but I’m the only one in my family who didn’t have them and you can tell the difference. I have a slight gap and it drives me crazy!
Looks nice & amusing.