Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Practice Smiling
• Method 2 of 4: Smile with your eyes
• Method 3 of 4: Build Your Self-Esteem
• Method 4 of 4: Take care of your oral cavity
• Tips

Not everyone is comfortable smiling with braces. You need to get used to them, so at the very beginning people are often embarrassed by their smile. Practice smiling to relieve embarrassment and brace. Also, do not forget to properly and regularly care for your teeth and gums. There is nothing difficult to get used to braces and to please others with a confident smile.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Practice Smiling

1. 1 Exercise. The best way to smile confidently with braces is to practice your smile. Facial expressions are formed with the help of mimic muscles, so "practice" smiling while standing in front of a mirror to find the optimal smile without discomfort.
   • Stretch the corners of your mouth to the sides and do not part your lips. Hold this expression for 10 seconds, then relax.
   • Repeat the exercise, but part your lips slightly to expose the line of contact between the upper and lower rows of teeth. Hold this expression on your face for 10 seconds, then relax.
   • Stretch the corners of your mouth to the sides even more until your lips are parted enough that you have almost half of your teeth exposed. Hold this expression for 10 seconds, then relax.
   • Stretch the corners of your mouth as wide as possible to show all your teeth. Hold this expression on your face for 10 seconds, then relax.
   • Practice stretching the corners of your lips in front of a mirror to find the optimal smile that will not cause discomfort, then continue to train your facial muscles for complete control over the smile.
2. 2 Develop a natural smile. After training your facial muscles, work on your smile so that it becomes more natural and does not look taut. To do this, you will need to keep additional muscles in good shape.
   • Close and tighten your lips to make them as large as possible. Pull in your cheeks as well.
   • Keep your lips open and try to pull the corners of your mouth to the sides at the same time to create a smile on your face.
   • Hold this expression on your face long enough to feel muscle fatigue. Then relax.
   • Do not do this exercise more than once a day, as excessive stretching can lead to overexertion. After a while, your smile will become more natural and radiant.
3. 3 Work on flexibility and control your smile. After stretching and toning, continue to learn to control your smile. Train other muscles in your face.
   • Stretch the corners of your mouth as far as possible without opening your lips.
   • Hold this expression and try to move your nose until you feel the tension in your cheek muscles.
   • Hold this expression for five seconds, then relax. Repeat the exercise up to 10 times a day to control your facial muscles.

Method 2 of 4: Smile with your eyes

1. 1 Smile so that your eyes narrow a little.. Psychologists have come to the conclusion that with a sincere smile, the muscles around the eyes are always involved. Sometimes the expression of genuine joy on the face is also called "Duchenne's smile". With such a smile, light wrinkles appear around the eyes. The eyes narrow and the smile widens. Most people are not aware of how such a smile is obtained, but training will allow you to learn to openly and naturally smile with your eyes.
   • Stand or sit in front of a mirror.
   • Smile so that your eyes narrow a little. Hold this facial expression to examine the facial muscles involved.
   • Practice smiling with your eyes to control that expression.
2. 2 Repeat Duchenne's other smiles. Try the following method: Look at pictures of people with Duchenne smiles and try to replicate those facial expressions. Similar photos can be easily found on the Internet by request "Duchenne smile". The researchers concluded that this exercise can help control your natural smile.
   • Exercise in front of a mirror or camera.
   • View examples of Duchenne smiles and practice smiling with your eyes at any time, not just involuntarily.
3. 3 Use a playful method. Research shows that some people find it easier to replicate Duchenne's smile by imagining (“imagining”) certain events that make them feel happy. Imagine and remember funny experiences with friends, joyful meetings, high marks and other moments that are expressed on the face of a Duchenne smile.
4. 4 Laugh to smile. Some studies have linked Duchenne's smile to laughter. If you are having trouble mimicking Duchenne's smile, try to make yourself laugh first. So, you can imagine a fun or joyful situation to laugh and practice smiling in front of the mirror.

Method 3 of 4: Build Your Self-Esteem

1. 1 Focus on your merits. A number of researchers have come to the conclusion that if you often think about your strengths and positive qualities, you can increase self-esteem. High self-esteem will allow you to forget about the discomfort after installing braces and smile with confidence.
2. 2 Repeat positive affirmations to yourself. One or more statements can help you believe in yourself, increase your self-esteem, and feel confident. Use time-tested statements such as "I am a very decent person and am good at compassion" and "I love myself and feel confident in my abilities."You can also make your own statements about braces: "I have a very beautiful smile; braces will make it even better."
3. 3 Don't give in to negative thoughts. At times, we all tend to doubt ourselves or give in to negative thoughts. It is important to remember that such thoughts are not at all true. Learn to notice negative thoughts about braces and appearance so that you can hack them down and remind yourself that after a while your smile will become perfect, and braces will be a thing of the past.

Method 4 of 4: Take care of your oral cavity

1. 1 Buy dental floss with a hard end. Some people with braces are embarrassed to smile because they fear that bits of food might be stuck between their teeth or braces. Flossing and regular oral care can help you to relieve fear, feel confident and smile. Not everyone is comfortable with flossing with braces in place. Today, almost all dental floss manufacturers offer floss with a rigid straight end, also called a guide. Thanks to the rigid end, the thread is much more convenient to use.
   • Buy a thread with a guide at your nearest pharmacy or supermarket.
   • If you can't find a hard-end floss, buy a guidewire that can be used with regular dental floss. Measure about 30 centimeters long enough for easy cleaning of your teeth.
   • Brush your teeth in a C-shaped motion. Floss each tooth so that it takes the shape of the letter “c”. Move the floss up and down to clean the walls of the tooth from all sides. This method allows you to take care of the maximum area of ​​the teeth.
   • Use dental floss after every meal to keep your teeth clean and your smile dazzling.
2. 2 Brush your teeth. It is recommended that you brush your teeth twice a day, but dentists advise patients with braces to brush after each meal.
   • In addition to your regular dental care, remember to clean every piece of the braces you have installed.
   • Try using an interdental brush. It easily penetrates under the staples, since this brush is designed specifically for such situations.
3. 3 Use a mouthwash. This liquid can be used after a meal and not only at home to get rid of bad breath and bacteria.
   • The cap on the vial allows you to measure the required volume.
   • Put the gargle in your mouth, but do not swallow.
   • Rinse every corner of your mouth thoroughly.
   • Try not to rinse your mouth with water immediately after using the liquid. The dental elixir continues to kill bacteria even after rinsing, and regular water prevents this action.
4. 4 Limit solid foods. Not only are solid foods harmful to the teeth, they also often get stuck between the teeth and braces. For this reason, it is best to limit the amount of solid foods or to chop the foods into small pieces that are easier to chew.
5. 5 Avoid sticky and crunchy foods. Foods like popcorn, hard candy, and licorice quickly get stuck between the staples and can sometimes even damage them. Eat softer foods, including fruits and vegetables, to keep your smile irresistible.
6. 6 Limit the amount of candy and sweets. Sugary foods leave acid deposits on the walls of the teeth, leading to bad breath, weakening of tooth enamel and even tooth decay. Hard candy can damage the staples. Try to eat as little candy and sweets as possible to keep your teeth healthy and your smile dazzling.

Tips

• With proper care of your teeth and braces, your smile will become even better after a while. Braces are only worn temporarily, and a healthy and beautiful smile will stay with you for life (thanks to constant care).