Which of your child’s features are you most in love with? It’s a pretty personal question, to be sure. Soft hair, squishable cheeks, eyes wide with delight, and ear-to-ear grins tend to be popular answers. While you may be in love with your child’s smile, it may not be what is typically considered beautiful. That doesn’t mean you love it any less, of course, but as it turns out, it’s important to have a beautiful smile in the sense that it is clean and properly aligned.
Feeling Good about Yourself
Your child’s smile lights up your entire day. Wouldn’t it be heartbreaking if they were to suddenly stop smiling because they didn’t love it anymore? Plenty of things can make a child feel self-conscious about the way their smile looks, from the color of their teeth to how they are aligned. It can be enough to make anyone not want to really smile much anymore. Smiling can have an impact on how we feel mentally and how we feel about ourselves. When you have a beautiful smile, it’s that much easier to feel good in terms of both.
Keeping Teeth Clean
Part of what lends a smile its beauty is the alignment of the teeth. Straight, properly aligned teeth are more likely to be considered beautiful, both by your child and by those around them. There’s more to the importance of properly aligned teeth than just beauty though. When teeth are straight and in a good position, it’s a lot easier to do a good job cleaning them. That, in turn, will help them look beautiful.
Protecting Tooth Health
Teeth that are beautiful are often healthier, thanks to the aforementioned reasons. When it comes to protecting the health of the tooth and preserving its beauty, proper oral care is essential. Thoroughly and properly brushing and flossing helps protect tooth enamel, which is what helps teeth look beautifully clean and white. When the enamel is kept clean and strong, it is able to protect the inner parts of the tooth, preserving both tooth health and beauty.
Parents only want what is best for their children. While you may find your child’s crooked smile endearing, the fact is that it may not be what is ultimately in their best interest. A beautiful smile isn’t beautiful just because it’s a shiny, bright white. Health and functionality contribute to a beautiful smile, all of which can help your child feel good about themselves. At the end of the day, maybe one of the best things you can do for your child is to make sure they have a healthy, beautiful smile.
All children should have an orthodontic check-up by age 7. Learn why early prevention matters here.
