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10 Tips to Improve Your Smile in 2021

Man practicing smiling in the mirror

Are you looking to have one of the best smiles around in 2021? After being stuck inside most of 2020 and earlier this year, your dental hygiene may have taken a back seat.

Now you’re probably looking for more ways to take care of your smile through cosmetic dentistry.

Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a few smile beautification tips to help you keep your smile as beautiful as possible this year!

1. Brush and Floss Daily

Man brushing his teeth while looking in the mirrorOne of the easiest things you can do to keep your dental hygiene in check is brushing and flossing your teeth on a daily basis.

There are over 20 billion bacteria in your mouth. These bacteria reproduce every 5 hours, so if you don’t brush your teeth for just one day, they multiply to 100 billion. By simply brushing your teeth, you can brush away the bad bacteria from growing on your teeth, which can cause tooth decay and rotting.

The same goes for flossing. As easy as it is to push flossing to the wayside because it’s a time commitment, flossing can help prevent cavities and plaque buildup. When you floss, you’re getting rid of any leftover food pieces or tartar between the teeth.

You should make sure to brush twice a day and floss at least once a day, and the more, the better!

2. Get Veneers

Women getting veneersIf you’re looking for a smile beautification tip that is easy and simple to do, look no further than dental veneers. You may have never heard of this option, so what are veneers?

Veneers are thin, tooth-shaped shells that are placed over your teeth to fill in gaps, cover up chips, or simply make your smile whiter. Dr. Peter Rinaldi at Rinaldi Dental Arts in Chevy Chase near Washington, D.C., has placed over 30,000 veneers on his patients.

This number alone should show you how popular dental veneers are as a choice for a cosmetic dentistry service that is quick and easy. You’ll have a smile you love in such a short amount of time!

3. Invest in Teeth Whitening

Side by side teeth whitening comparisonAnother easy way to achieve your smile beautification is to whiten your teeth. You can choose to do this in different ways.

If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, you can pick up teeth whitening strips in the dental care section of your local grocery store or pharmacy. However, keep in mind that off-the-shelf products often don’t produce the results you are looking for.

Teeth whitening products can also irritate your gums or create teeth sensitivity. If the whitening bothers your teeth enamel or gums, you should stop the whitening products right away.

If you are looking for an at-home teeth whitening solution, Rinaldi Dental Arts offers professional teeth whitening trays that you can use at home.

If you find that you are constantly hiding your smile or embarrassed by the stains on your teeth, a professional teeth whitening service may be the best option for you to beautify your smile!

4. Learn More About Gum Whitening

A woman is happy about cosmetic dentistry and is pointing to her smileGum whitening has become trendy in recent years to create a more unified smile. If your gums are patchy or darker than you would like, they can make you feel self-conscious about your smile!

You may notice patchy gums because of lifestyle choices like smoking. However, patchy gums do not mean that your gums are unhealthy. It could be something as simple as genetics.

To prevent low self-esteem or confidence issues, gum whitening can lighten your gums to create a beautiful smile.

5. Make an Appointment for Gum Contouring

Gumy Smile: dentist checking man's mouthDo you feel like your gums have been receding? Or do you feel like your gums take over your smile and detract from the look of your straight, white teeth? Gum contouring may be the answer you’ve been looking for.

Gum contouring is a popular cosmetic dentistry procedure to get rid of any excess gums around your teeth line. A simple surgical procedure can take away any excess gums to ensure your smile is noticeably beautiful.

On the other hand, you may notice that your gums have receded over time. This can happen because of brushing too hard, hormonal changes, or having gum disease. Whatever the cause, gum contouring or grafting can fix this issue to bring back your confidence in your smile.

6. Get Invisalign

Close up of a woman places her Invisalign aligners over her teeth.Invisalign is a great option if you are worried your teeth are a bit crooked or not perfectly straight. Instead of braces made of metal brackets and bands, Invisalign is a discreet solution made of clear plastic.

Like braces, Invisalign straightens your teeth over time to give you the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted! The difference is that you can take your clear aligners out when you eat or whenever you need to.

Different clear aligners are sent to you every 2-3 weeks. Each aligner is shaped to encourage movement over the 2-3 week period. By the end of your 12 to 18-month treatment, you should have beautiful, perfectly aligned teeth.

7. Practice Smiling

Man practicing smiling in the mirrorOnce you fix your dental hygiene and undergo cosmetic dentistry services, it’s time to practice your smile! If you’ve been insecure about how your smile looks over the past few months or years, you may have lost confidence in your smile altogether.

Stand in front of a mirror and practice smiling! It may seem silly, but it will give you the confidence you need to smile more in public and show off your new pearly whites.

You can also put a picture of what your old smile looked like on the mirror to see how much your smile has improved. This could give you even more of a boost of confidence.

There is scientific data that says smiling helps you feel happy. Smiling also helps others to feel happy. When we are happy our face and body show it and our smile is more attractive.

8. Think About Others – Give Service

Man and women giving service collecting trash in a forestIn the same way that smiling helps you feel happy, serving others does the same thing. In fact, serving others helps you to smile naturally.

There is a chemical reaction that occurs when you serve someone in need that benefits how you feel about yourself. It also benefits your health and can even help you live longer and happier.

The important part of giving services such as volunteering at an organization or helping family, friends, colleagues, or strangers, is how genuine the service is.

9. Relax – Get A Massage

Woman getting a massageAlthough it may not seem connected, harboring stress and doing nothing to reduce it can actually affect your oral care. If your oral care is affected, your smile is ultimately affected as well.

When you are stressed, your body can try to deal with it in many different forms, some of which are damaging to your teeth and jaw.

Stress can cause teeth grinding at night or teeth clenching. You may notice pain around your jaw and ears that could eventually develop into TMJ disorder. There is TMJ therapy you can try to fix the disorder and stop the pain. You can try a mouth guard or getting a massage or a facial to reduce extra stress.

What else can stress cause that affects your oral health? You may be too stressed to spend time on your own hygiene. Instead of brushing your teeth and flossing nightly, you may head straight to bed or drink coffee or alcohol to calm down. By doing this, you’re negatively impacting your dental health and ultimately your smile.

To reduce the negative effects of stress that can affect your dental hygiene, get a massage. Massage is a great way to unwind and calm your nerves. When you are calm you are less likely to grind or clench your teeth at night.

10. Kick Your Bad Habits

Woman holding an ice cube to here mouthIf you are looking to improve your oral care, there are a few simple things you can do to improve your hygiene. Kicking some bad habits to the curb can help improve your smile. Here are a few bad habits to get rid of:

  • Chewing ice
  • Biting packages to open them
  • Quit smoking or chewing tobacco
  • Reduce your stress to stop grinding your teeth, or consider a mouth guard

By reducing your bad habits, you can drastically improve your dental care and improve your smile!

Call Rinaldi Dental Arts for Your Cosmetic Dentistry Needs

If you feel like you’re missing your confidence or a great smile to keep you going throughout the day, it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can schedule an appointment with us at Rinaldi Dental Arts in Chevy Chase near Washington, D.C., for your smile beautification needs! You’ll leave our office feeling confident and sure of yourself.

Contact us today to get started with cosmetic dentistry services that will enhance your smile.


Man practicing smiling in the mirror