One of the reasons that cosmetic dentistry procedures are so popular is simply that people want to look their very best. By being attractive, they hope that they will have more luck with the opposite sex, feel more confident and possibly even do better in their careers.
But have you ever stopped to wonder why it is that getting straighter teeth has such a profound effect on your looks and on your life? Have you ever wondered what it is that makes one person ‘good looking’ and another person… not?
In this article, we will look at some of the science behind what we think of as good looks. Not only should it make for an interesting read, it might also help you to ‘hack’ your appearance for the better!
What do Good Looks Communicate?
Those who subscribe to an evolutionary view of psychology will tell you that good looks are ultimately the result of our evolutionary directive – our urge to survive and to pass on our genes.
As a result, we are more attracted to people who we feel will be able to contribute good genetic material and who will be able to help provide for our children. Thus, we look for people who demonstrate signs of health, power and resourcefulness.
Straight teeth actually signify all these things. For starters, symmetry is something that we will automatically look for. We look for symmetry because it suggests that the cells are able to split and reproduce via mitosis in an effective manner thus possibly signifying a low chance of cancer.
At the same time, if your teeth are very white and very straight, this suggests that you look after them. That in turn means that you care about your looks (suggesting good social skills) and it makes you appear like someone with good attention to detail. Like well-groomed nails, this communicates the ability to look after others.
Finally, healthy teeth suggest a healthy diet. This suggests that you eat well which will likely bode well for your health and your ability to provide. Of course all this happens on an unconscious basis but it explains why simply flashing a set of straight white teeth can make the opposite sex go week at the knees.
The Social Factor
Another school of psychology is social psychology. This school looks at the role of social influence, of social learning and of our immediate social networks in forming our beliefs and influencing our behavior.
This aspect of psychology is similarly capable of explaining why we tend to gravitate towards whiter teeth. Here, the suggestion is that we’re constantly being shown pictures of ‘attractive people’ and of successful people. In most cases, these people have brilliantly straight and healthy looking teeth – just think of any celebrity or cover model. Even if you weren’t naturally inclined towards straighter teeth then, you would learn growing up that a good smile = attractive person.
For all these reasons, it is a very good idea to take care of your teeth. If you want to know how we can help you with that, just get in touch at [PHONE] and we’ll happily answer any questions you may have.
