While it may be odd to think of a smile having a monetary value, it has been determined that each smile is worth approximately 1/3 of a penny. While there may be no cosmic dispensary that is going to give you a penny for every three of your smiles, this value has been found to come out in the way that interactions, both business and personal, are influenced and affected by your genuine smile. In fact, a good smile can make you seem more trustworthy and pleasant and inspires confidence in you: attributes that are supposed to be good for business and personal interactions.

So if you are among those who smile less due to being self-conscious about the state of your teeth, consider how these options can help you improve your smile and its monetary contributions.

Think before you bite

Discolored or chipped teeth can result in feelings of lowered self-esteem and lead to a reduced desire to smile. Some of these can be prevented by what you choose to eat or put into your mouth. Foods that are deep in color, such as coffee, wine, deeply colored fruits and vegetables, and tobacco in all its forms, are among the things that will cause discoloration. Unfortunately, the foods that fall into this category also tend to be high in anti-oxidants which are good for general health. To prevent their ability to dim the full wattage of your smile, drink the liquids through a straw, swallow quickly and brush or rinse promptly following consumption.

Other things that can cause damage to your teeth include metal implements in your mouth such as tongue rings and grills. These can damage the structure of the teeth and lead to decay from foods and beverages caught beneath and between the metal and the teeth or gum lines. Try also to avoid using your teeth to tug, bite or pull hard materials such as bottle caps or tied knots.

Take your yearly trips

As much as you would sometimes like to avoid it, it is important to ensure that you visit your dentist each year for those cleanings and dental inspections that you might need. Having cosmetic dentistry, when it is necessary, can also help to ensure that you can almost hear those pennies when you turn on the smile. Having teeth whitening sessions to brighten the smile or getting those chipped, broken or missing teeth fixed can boost your confidence and make it easier to smile. While insurance does not cover cosmetic dentistry, there are some dental plans that might cover at least a part of some procedures, such as fillings. 

A good in-office whitening procedure will cost about $650 for each one hour visit. Cheaper options include professionally dispensed take-home kits that can cost between $100 to $400 and the over-the-counter variety at about $20 to $100 per kit. Other cosmetic procedures such as dental veneers (for chipped or cracked teeth) can cost anywhere from $250 to $2500 per tooth depending on the type that is used. 

For more information about the importance of dental care, contact a company such as MyoTech Dental & Implant Center.