A simple smile carries the powerful ability to uplift the wearer and observer. It’s our universal language, able to connect any human from any part of our world, including the shared moment of uninterrupted bliss when a bride smiles at her groom down the aisle. Join Melbourne Wedding & Bride’s Alice O’Brien as she sits down with Tegan Di Pietro, from BEC Dental, to discuss wedding day confidence built from a smile.
The human smile is the most distinct facial expression of happiness. It’s how we can tell a joke landed well, or a compliment was taken right. From a subtle turn of the lips upwards to a full blown toothy grin, it all comes easy to us. However, the history of a smile speaks volumes to different types of smiles throughout humanity. Teeth on full show was never as clear an expression of joy as the closed mouth smile. In fact, in Western culture before the 19th century, a smiling mouth in painted portraits was always closed. A tooth-baring smile, so common today, was nowhere to be seen. There are many reasons behind this closed lip turn, with one being bad teeth hygiene. Unsurprisingly there is a clear link when countries professionalised dental trainingand the wider acceptance and use of the toothy grin. This is why Di Pietro believes dental hygiene is more than just a healthy mouth; it impacts the very way we express joy.
“They say the eyes are the window to the soul, I believe the mouth is like a door to the soul … it’s how we show expression, kiss, it’s what people notice first,” Di Pietro expresses.
A smile, with the freedom of smiling with teeth, is something we shouldn’t take for granted and it’s something we should always feel confident to do both in life and pictures.
Image courtesy of BEC Dental.
Why Does a Smile Matter?
For a wedding day, that wide, grinning smile becomes more than an expression. It’s a reflection of love and gratitude, with a mix of inevitable happy tears.
“A confident smile creates a relaxed energy for brides and grooms to pose, laugh and chat with guests,” Di Pietro says.
“No one wants to hold back because they are feeling paranoid about their teeth.”
A wedding should not be dulled by closed lipped smiles, secret insecurity, and hiding teeth. Everyone deserves to embrace the exhilaration of saying ‘I do’ with the freedom of an open mouth laugh and smile! That’s why BEC Dental cater to pre-wedding dental investments, rewarding brides and grooms with the confidence of a smile they love.
“Whiter teeth make the overall face look more youthful … a simple professional cleaning visit at least one week out from the big day,” Di Pietro suggests to help your smile shine.
There’s also the option of surgically touched smiles, and while a great option, still comes a warning of caution.
“Your new smile should look like it’s part of you … not some copy and paste teeth,” Di Pietro warns.
“BEC Dental delivers treatment tailored to you … true to your facial features.”
Small things on the special day, such as avoiding coffee, meticulous brushing, flossing and having mint strips on hand to avoid a nervous dry mouth, all make an impression on the smile soon to be walking down the aisle.
More Than a One-Day Benefit
However memorable and all together moving a wedding day is, it is ultimately just that: one single day. Couples invest time and money into every detail, and while each dedicated second is undeniably worth the beautiful moments this day brings, it passes in what feels like an instant. When it comes to spending time on your smile, however, the investment reaches far beyond this single day. Motivation to perfect your smile may begin with photographs, but confidence that comes from prioritising your oral health is long-lasting.
“Investing in yourself for the longer term far outweighs the short term, one day perks … it’s far from vain and it’s an investment that you can enjoy for a lifetime,” Di Pietro says.
This extends to all chapters of life outside a wedding day, as “your mouth tells a lot about you,” Di Pietro points out.
“We’re more comfortable approaching someone who smiles naturally and confidently, because we perceive them to be friendlier and more trustworthy,” Di Pietro says.
Looking Forward with a Smile
Your projection of yourself is weighed heavily on your demeaner, built through the base of a solid smile. This smile-built confidence can trickle into career paths, social relationships, and a higher internal self-worth.
Looking back at wedding photographs, you should be able to feel the special day all over again through the bride and groom’s smiles. But just as important as how your smile makes you feel in those captured moments, is how you feel beyond them. The greatest investment any bride or groom can make isn’t just about one perfect day, but in the self-assured confident smile carried into the life that follows.