It goes without saying, every smile is beautiful, but there are a few things that can be done to make it even better. Here are three easy ways to improve your smile and boost confidence in the process.
Problem: Yellowing
Our teeth naturally yellow as we age, but our lifestyle can also play a part. “Years of smoking, along with drinking tea, coffee and red wine are some of the most common ways our teeth become discoloured,” says Dr Robyn Cameron of dental firm Cameron and Field.
While a professional whitening treatment will give instant results, a cheaper option is to opt for a whitening toothpaste.
Try: Colgate® Optic White™ High Impact White™ Whitening Toothpaste – It'll help brighten teeth over time with its hydrogen peroxide-infused formula; Grin 100% Natural Whitening Toothpaste – This all natural toothpaste will deliver a pearly-white clean without chemicals.
Problem: Lines around the mouth
We naturally associate lines around the mouth with smoking, but that’s not the only trigger. “Fine lines around the mouth can be caused by multiple things, including use of muscles, volume loss and UV damage,” says Clinical Nurse Educator for Caci, Brandy Wehinger.
How they can be improved will depend on the cause. ”Lip lines caused by repetitive action of the muscles around the mouth, for example, can be treated with muscle relaxant injected into the muscles that are causing the lines,” says Brandy. However, if a client is a little older or the lines are much deeper, Brandy suggests a combination of muscle relaxant and dermal filler.
“This helps to create structure around the mouth, strengthening the area and making it less prone to wrinkles and lines.”
Try: Revlon Youth FX Fill + Blur Concealer. Pat it on the lip line to create a smooth appearance before following up with lipstick.
Problem: Gummy smile
Revealing a lot of upper gum on one or both sides when you smile is relatively common and normal but if it bothers you, there are a couple of ways you can minimise the look of it. Your choice of lipstick, for example, can help to either emphasise or camouflage your gummy smile. Choosing a lip colour close to the colour of your own gums will help to mask the issue, whereas a strong-coloured lipstick will emphasise your lips and make the gums look more obvious.
Draw less attention to a gummy smile by wearing a pinky-nude shade of lipstick. Try: Natio Lip Colour in Eden.
“Appearance medicine can be used to relax a muscle called the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi,” says Brandy.
“In people with a gummy smile, this muscle really pulls the lip upward,” she explains. “An injectable relaxant softens this muscle’s action and prevents it from excessively pulling.”
A one-off treatment of muscle relaxant can be done every three or four months to maintain the effect.
This article originally appeared on beautyheaven.
