What Your Smile Says About You

At my dental office in Valparaiso, we want your smile to look its very best to help you get more satisfaction out of life both professionally and personally. We know your smile is a powerful tool that can tell the world quite a lot about who you truly are. Did you know that evolutionary scientists believe that smiling has its origins as a social signifier? Think of it like a dog wagging his tail. With this action, he can let you know that he wants attention, is happy, etc. A smile does the same thing!

Feeling Self-Conscious About Your Smile

When our smiles say so much about who we are, it’s important that they look their very best. Sometimes due to wear and tear or a dental injury, teeth become cracked, chipped or broken. This can lead to missing teeth and lowered confidence to smile proudly. It can also lead to bad habits such as slouching or poor posture and mumbling. Your smile is your best accessory, so it’s always good to make sure it’s healthy and looking brilliant. This is why it’s important to maintain regular checkups and cleanings with your dentist in Valparaiso. Don’t forget to brush twice and floss once daily to keep teeth looking and feeling great.

Teeth and History

Like dentists, archeologists are big fans of teeth when it comes to discovering more information about how people of the past lived their lives. It’s easy to determine how old teeth are and the kind of person they belonged to because all teeth follow similar growth patterns. A teenage boy will have slight variations that differ from those of an adult female. These differences can tell scientists a lot about who a person is, how they lived, what they ate, and how old they are. Your teeth are also one of the very few parts of the body that can start to wear down but still function properly.

Teeth Tell Your Story

Your teeth have something known as universal signifiers, meaning characteristics that are commonly found in people of a certain age, gender, etc.

• Central incisors – When you’re younger your central incisors (your front teeth) tend to be a little bit more curvier and rounded at the edges. But the older you grow, these teeth tend to become more square in shape.
• Lateral incisors – Right next door to the front teeth are your lateral incisors. These teeth are good for chewing and are round at the ends in women and longer and more square shaped in men.

And guess what else your teeth tell us? If you grind your teeth, it’s usually evident in breaks and chips in your enamel. We can also tell if you smoke, drink coffee and alcohol, and even snore!

If your teeth are painful or making you self-conscious it’s probably a good idea to give my Valparaiso dental office a call. We can do a thorough exam and collect x-rays that will give us a more complete idea of what your teeth might be trying to tell you. It’s important to take the steps to have a healthy smile so that you can present your most healthy you to the world!

About The Author

Dr. Joseph Majka

After earning his dental degree in 1993, Dr. Joseph Majka provided dental care for migrant farm workers’ children through the Indiana State Department of Health. Months later, he began practicing family and cosmetic dentistry. For years, he was involved in different charitable activities, providing free dental care for the underprivileged in the community. Dr. Majka has attended several continuing education courses that cover all aspects of dental care and is affiliated with numerous dental associations.

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