April 07, 2004

By: Geraldine Hewitt
Website: http://www.teeth-whitening-smiles.com

Smile – It Will Get You Farther Than You Think

According to a new national poll, The Invisalign Smile Survey, a high percentage of adults believe that straight teeth and an appealing smile help one succeed in every avenue of life – whether it be in business, attracting the opposite sex or bringing someone home to meet your parents.

The Invisalign Smile Survey - the first poll of its kind to examine how smiles affect selfesteem, as well as the role they play socially and at work -- looked at the attitudes of 1000 men and women nationwide to gauge the importance of an attractive smile in today’s image-conscious culture. The new national study, commissioned by Align Technology Inc. and conducted by Harris Interactive, reveals that an overwhelming majority of adults consider a person’s smile to be very important when meeting someone for the first time.

When asked what they notice when they first meet someone, 94% of the men and women polled say they notice a person’s smile before noticing their eyes, height, or their figure. According to the poll, a nice smile also connotes a certain kind of personality: almost two out of three agree (64%) that people with a nice smile are more outgoing and 71% feel that having an attractive smile is important for making new friends.

Smiles and Self-Esteem

The Invisalign Smile Survey also showed a clear correlation between smiles and one’s selfesteem. Almost 9 out of 10 people surveyed believe that their smile affects their self-esteem and 77% of the men and women surveyed think that wearing braces as an adult makes a person feel self-conscious.

When asked which one facial characteristic they would change if they could, 25% said they would change their teeth/smile, 13% said they would get a nose job and 6% said they would get their eyes done. According to self-esteem expert Dr. Gilda Carle, author and professor of psychology, Smiles have a compelling impact in raising a person’s level of selfconfidence. People that smile draw others to them, thereby raising their self-esteem, and a person with high self-esteem generates greater respect. Additionally, smiles can make both men and women, whether teenagers or adults, be perceived as friendly and approachable.

Not only are smiles and straight teeth important to a person’s self-image, but, being able to flash a winning smile scored high in the romance area. The Invisalign Smile Survey revealed that an overwhelming majority think people with good teeth are more attractive to the opposite sex and believe an attractive smile is important for meeting Mr. or Ms. Right. Not surprisingly, it has been reported that smiles are such an important part of communication we see them far more clearly than any other expression -- we can pick up a smile at 300 feet -- the length of a football field.

Additionally, over one-third of respondents said they would not set up their best friend on a blind date with someone who had crooked teeth. One-third of the men and women surveyed would not be likely to kiss someone with crooked teeth and more than one-half agree that with today’s dental advances there is no excuse for having crooked teeth.

The Invisalign Smile Survey brought to light another quite startling finding: an attractive smile is important for landing your ideal job as well as succeeding at work. Three out of four adults believe that a nice smile is important for getting the job of your dreams. And, over one-third agree that a person with bad teeth gets fewer job promotions. Overall, an attractive smile and good teeth influence self-esteem and may improve quality of life, both professionally and personally.

According to Dr. Gilda, A person’s smile is a powerful tool. An attractive smile can be a catalyst in the work environment whether it be to warm relationships with co-workers or to draw people in during a business presentation. According to The Invisalign Smile Survey, almost one-half said that bad teeth are a sign of bad personal hygiene. Only 19% would be likely to share a bite of their sandwich or their ice cream cone with someone with crooked teeth.

The Invisalign Smile Survey was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Align Technology, Inc. to explore how men and women today feel about straight teeth and a nice smile. The study was conducted by telephone on a representative sample of 1000 American adults.

Author Notes:

Geraldine Hewitt contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.teeth-whitening-smiles.com.  Everything you need to know to get a whiter, brighter smile!