There is bountiful evidence that physical attraction played a dramatic role in human history. Wars were started over beauty, and so too did beauty calm stormy seas and gentle giants. It’s an intuitive notion, and logic doesn’t make it any less true: Beauty is beautiful. The heart wants what the heart wants.
But beauty is more than a romantic phantasm. There is psychology behind people’s attraction to physiological features and reasons for the lack of physical attraction. Teeth and smiles play a large role in the physiology of attractiveness, and attraction plays a large role in dating.
The Anatomy of a Smile
Researchers have found that smiling makes you healthier both physically and emotionally. A smile can change your mood, lower your heart rate and even increase your sex drive. And smiling also has a profound effect on others.
Your facial expressions determine to a great extent the reactions of others. Psychologist Ronald E Riggio Ph.D. explains, “your smile is actually contagious… In a Swedish study, subjects were shown pictures of several emotions… When the picture of someone smiling was presented, the researchers asked the subjects to frown. Instead, they found that the facial expressions went directly to [a smile].”
Teeth: the Heart of a Smile
The perception others have of your smile is directly related to your teeth. A person whose smile is affected by bad teeth may have a less positive effect, maybe even a negative effect, on other’s emotions.
The Effect of Bad Teeth on the Smiler
In addition to other people being affected by your teeth when you smile, you are also often affected. People who are unhappy with their teeth have a tendency to mask them behind a guarded smile. By only partially smiling, or not opening their mouth at all when they smile in an effort to veil their teeth, these people change the effect they have on others.
Teeth Affect More Than Just a Smile
Your mouth expresses emotion all the time, not just when you smile. The way teeth sit inside your mouth can have all kinds of effects on the emotions you’re perceived to be expressing, even when your mouth is at rest.
Hiding stained or discolored teeth can imply a person is solemn or overly pensive. Front teeth that protrude can give the impression a person is grinning even though he is actually concerned. An under-bite can leave the impression that someone is disgruntled even though he may be feeling pleased. Teeth set off to one side may give others the impression a person is irritated when, in fact, he’s satisfied. The list of mistaken emotional impressions poor teeth can give are as varied as the number of emotions people can show.
Bottom-Line of Teeth and Dating
While it is probably unfair, your teeth can have a dramatic effect on the success or failure of your dating life. When bad teeth send mixed signals, understanding your emotions can be difficult. Your teeth and your smile can affect your relationships.
Though Not the End of the World, Bad Teeth Are Unnecessary
Fortunately, there are means of improving, and even perfecting, the most difficult teeth. Discolored or stained teeth can be whitened using safe, fast and extremely effective measures. For uneven teeth, ugly silver braces are no longer necessary; Invisalign requires no braces or wires.
If you’re afraid your teeth give your friends and loved ones the wrong impression, you have options!
