When you hear the words “say cheese”, what do you do? Do you automatically break out the widest smile that you can, or do you shy away from the camera? Now, there are plenty of people out there who avoid showing their teeth to the world, as they’re unhappy with their aesthetic appearance. But you should be happy to grin ear to ear without feeling self conscious or trying to cover your mouth with your hand! Sure, certain aspects of a natural pearly white, straight smile are purely down to genetics. But there are steps that you can take to achieve the perfect Hollywood smile regardless of how your teeth may appear at the moment. Here are a few to consider!

Consider Whitening

Relatively few of us have bright white teeth by the time we reach adulthood. Various habits can cause yellowing over the years – from drinking coffee to smoking or missing a clean here and there. But you can brighten your smile yourself at home with home whitening kits. Just make sure to read any instructions in the packet before starting the process. They will help to guide you through cleaning all sorts of stains from your enamel and can reduce chances of mistakes from being made. If you’re feeling hesitant, you can also enquire about whitening with your dentist, who will be able to whiten your teeth professionally.

Braces

For straight teeth, you may need to have braces. But not to worry. Many people avoid this topic of conversation with their dentist, as they associate braces with traditional silver train track style braces worn by teens. But there are now “invisible” braces on the market that aren’t quite so noticeable. This is a more discreet means of aligning your teeth in a more uniform manner. Some are transparent coloured, some will be placed behind your teeth. Your own dentist will be able to advise which are best to suit your needs.

Veneers

If you want more immediate results in regards to both tooth colour and alignment, you might want to consider veneers. This form of cosmetic dentistry is rapidly growing in popularity. A dentist will file down the surface of your own tooth and then place a porcelain veneer over the top. It’s an easy way to quickly gain the perfect smile. However, this does come at a cost – veneers don’t tend to come cheap.

Make the Most of Visual Illusions

Believe it or not, something as simple as the colour of your lipstick can have a huge impact on how white your teeth look. Pink and purple shades are known for yellowing the appearance of your teeth, whereas red shades can make your teeth look a brighter shade of white. So, head to a supplier of your favourite makeup brand and try out samples to see how your teeth look paired against each.

While you should be happy with your natural smile, it’s important to remember that there are ways to transform it into a more mainstream grin. These processes take time, cost money, and require a little patience. But this is all more than worth it if your new smile boosts your confidence!