"Your smile is a reflection of your soul."
Image consultants rarely, if ever, suggest changing our smile, yet
isn't our smile what draws people to us? Do you know someone who smiles or laughs with a
hand covering the mouth? Have you, yourself, consciously or unconsciously developed a
smile or laugh habit where you mask your teeth? In body language, that can be interpreted
as having something to hide -- even if it is just teeth whose appearance doesn't please
us.
Personally, I thought "I cannot change my smile." Lack of
fluoride when I was young destined me to spend hours in the dentist's office. Eventually,
there was so much gold in my mouth that I avoided dark alleys and was conscious of the
flash when I smiled. Over the years, I changed my smile to hide that flash.
Dread of the invasive dental instruments (not to mention the drill) and
the pain of expensive dental care further convinced me that I could live with what I had
and "make do". Besides, I had tried everything from crowns and bridges to full
mouth braces at age 35. Nothing had helped; my mouth still wasn't healthy, my smile still
wasn't pretty to me.
But so many dentists only care about cleaning our teeth and keeping
them healthy. They do not care enough about our appearance. That wasn't good enough for
me, but I was resigned to it.
Enter Dr. Ritchie Beougher and his staff at Willow Bend Dental in
Plano, who are ready for "dentalphobics" like me and who aren't put off by the
challenges of dental care. Even my comments ("If I had a nickel for every dollar my
folks and I have invested in my mouth, I could retire." "If one more dentist
tells me he is going to make my mouth healthy, I'm going to hit the ceiling.") didn't
put them off.
In a recent newspaper article, Dr. Beougher was quoted as saying,
"What's exciting is when it changes people's perspective on life. We had one lady
come in who never smiled because she had crooked teeth. After we corrected them, she
became very outgoing and now she smiles all the time."
And I have changed my smile -- with their help. People now ask
if I've altered my hairstyle or my makeup. They don't realize that it is my smile, the
reflection of the comfort I now feel in a wide smile with the flash of good-looking teeth.
You know that one of my goals is to assist my clients in conserving
their clothing dollars. Investing in your smile now is not only a means of conserving
dollars you will spend on future dental care but also a good investment in your
appearance. Poor dental hygiene can ruin all your other beauty efforts.
Your smile is a reflection of the care and time you are willing to give
to your lips, teeth and gums. Brushing is second nature to all of us. But the difference
between hit-and-miss cleaning and thorough cleaning becomes more and more evident daily as
we get older. New techniques and products for cleaning have been developed. Just brushing
and flossing may not be enough. Ask your dental expert -- you may need to be retrained.
New and often expensive products on the market promise whiter teeth.
What are the ingredients in these "revolutionary" "miracle" smile
products? The only effective and safe whitener is obtained at your dentist's office, and
probably at less expense.
When you look good, you feel good. When you smile, you improve your
image.
Would you change your smile if you could?
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(Note: for the information of other dentalphobics, Willow Bend Dental
is located at 4701 West Park Boulevard in Plano, 964-5686.
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Voir Couture is the recognition and confirmation of each Judith,
Couturiere client. You are confident and distinctive, value tradition, and demand quality
and individuality. Voir celebrates your uniqueness!
