Your Smile is the Ultimate Status Symbol

The old saying goes, "You're never fully dressed without a smile."  But it now seems it's not so much about the quality of the smile as it is about the quality of the teeth.

According to a top social scientist, where we now stand in society is becoming increasingly dependent not on our education or our upbringing - but on the state of our smiles.  Malcolm Gladwell, the author of David and Goliath, says teeth are becoming the new benchmark of inequality.  According to the writer, those with bad teeth are also given a lower chance of success - because they are denied certain entry-level jobs.

In a recent interview he said: “That's kind of the way we're moving as the gap between the fit and the unfit grows.  The teeth thing and the obesity problems are the same: they are symptoms of the same set of inferences that are being drawn. I think those kinds of physical characteristics - that's completely the next wave of discrimination.”

These comments follow an increasing trend of celebrities and reality TV stars paying to have work done to their teeth. The range of work includes tooth whitening using bleach, veneers and even dental implants (in which titanium posts are surgically placed into a person's jaw).  Getting better teeth has become a luxury rite of passage.

“Got a bag and fixed my teeth/hope you hos know it ain’t cheap,” rapped Cardi B in “Bodak Yellow.”  That's her in the picture.  If you’re lucky,  it starts in your teens, when your parents shell out money for pricey orthodonture that you hope gets removed in time for senior pictures. But it doesn’t end there. In Hollywood, on Instagram, and pretty much everywhere, if you see someone with perfect, gleaming, straight white teeth, there’s a good chance that they’re made by a cosmetic dentist.

Experts point out that while those with  money can pay to give themselves sparkling Hollywood smiles, those from poorer backgrounds can not afford to give their teeth the same treatment.  “Teeth are the new boobs,” says Cassandra Huysentruyt Grey, founder of Violet Grey on Instagram.

Grey argues that “teeth jobs” — in which patients get a new set of pearly white veneers — are similar to what boob jobs used to be. “Teeth can really change your look, like boobs. They’re also sexual — your mouth can be very sexy and affect your sex appeal and confidence.” And like most boob jobs, veneers aren’t covered by insurance.

Unlike your average boob job, the “tooth” job is meant to convey wellness as well as attractiveness. Huda Kattan, founder of Huda Beauty, says, “There has been a shift in the last few years with wellness and beauty becoming one and the same. People are a lot more savvy about how overall health plays into confidence — and confidence for me is what really makes people stand out and be seen.”

The word “clean” feels sexy and attractive right now. People are so conscious of what they’re putting into their bodies, and your teeth don’t lie.   The healthiest people want to eat antioxidant-rich blueberries, drink beet juice, and sprinkle turmeric into their smoothies, but they don’t want any of it staining their teeth.

We associate full, glossy, unstained teeth with good health, and see broken and damaged teeth as a sign of poverty and unhealthy behavior, like drug use. Smoking yellows teeth. Sugar increases the amount of plaque that a dental hygienist must scrape off and the likelihood for tooth decay. On Orange Is the New Black, meth addict Pennsatucky is ridiculed for having broken, jagged teeth. Maintaining white teeth can almost feel like a moral imperative, but it’s undoubtedly also a class issue.

A poll conducted recently by VisionCritical also found that people see whiter teeth as an indication of wealth. The survey showed that people with whiter teeth were thought to earn $20,000 more on average than they actually did.  Sparkling teeth also made them look up to five years younger and improved their employment potential by 10 per cent, results showed. 

The bottom-line is that people classify you in a matter of moments based on your characteristics, and your smile is a huge part of that.

There many effective cosmetic dentistry procedures available that can produce considerable results. Complete smile transformations combine various procedures to transform your smile. These are the same procedures used by cosmetic dentists that serve the Hollywood A-list.

A common and cost-effective procedure is teeth whitening. There are a variety of ways this can be done. Many drugstores sell over-the-counter whitening strips and gels. Your cosmetic dental practice can recommend an effective one, or they may offer in-office bleaching. This is the quickest way to whiten your teeth, sometimes in less than an hour.

If you suffer from missing teeth, most West Hartford cosmetic dentists will recommend dental implants. A dental implant is placed directly into the jawbone. This provides strength, natural appearance and function, and comfort. It can also guard against the bone recession that is common with a missing tooth.

Veneers, which are custom-made for each patient, are designed to cover the front of the teeth. These are useful for patients who have broken or chipped teeth, stained teeth, or gaps between teeth.

Bonding, enamel shaping, gum contouring, and invisible braces are other important procedures that can be employed by your cosmetic dentist to help your teeth look their best.

I’m Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD, an award-winning general and cosmetic dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and New Britain, CT.  If you are looking for premium dental care in the Greater Hartford area, I hope you’ll give us a call at 860-561-2121.

Keep smiling,

Dr. Elzbieta W. Basil, DMD is a private practice dentist with offices in West Hartford Center and Downtown New Britain, Connecticut.  She is a Clinical Instructor at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, and has won several awards naming her regional “Best Dentist” and “Top Dentist.” She is an active member of the Connecticut State Dental Association and the American Dental Association. Tel: 860-561-2121