“Smile and the world smiles with you.”

This phrase is one that many of us learn as children, encouraged to smile as we build relationships and spend time developing our own personalities and interests. As we enter adulthood and start to branch out into the professional world that we choose to work in, smiling becomes as much about the way we are perceived as it is a window to how we feel – with a bright smile bolstering both your own productivity and the way others see you. 

Of course, there is no trait or asset that will replace hard work and dedication – but you’d be amazed at the incredible impact a bright smile can have on the way you are perceived in the professional world. 

The benefits of a bright smile

When you have a smile on your face, people feel calmer and most positive about interacting with you. This spans both your personal and professional life, with the following benefits all directly linked to how a bright smile and excellent oral hygiene can support your professional image. 

Improve professional relationships

First thing’s first, when you smile and build a reputation as a positive and warm individual, your professional relationships will improve. The psychology of interpersonal relationships shows that a smile will help those around you to relax – calming those with roles and positions beneath yours, while making you seem more positive to those in positions of power above you. This can lead to encouraging trust in the workplace, and may even bring more opportunities to your door. 

Someone who smiles in professional settings will be remembered favourably – which is all most of us can really ask for in modern networking situations. 

Increase performance through enhanced personal confidence

When you have a bright smile, you will feel more confident – and thus will work with increased productivity. This in turn leads to greater performance and results; something which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on your professional image. 

Make yourself feel happier and calmer

They say that, if you force yourself to smile, you can instantly feel a little happier and calmer – regardless of the situation. This is because smiling releases some endorphins, which counter the effects of stress and make you feel better. And we don’t need to tell you that, when you feel better and less stressed, your professional image, ability to communicate with others, and overall performance will all improve. 

Ignite positive experiences for those around you

One of the most important benefits of a bright smile is the way it connects you with others. A common language that exists both inside and outside the workplace, when you make others feel more relaxed, you improve their encounters with you. This bolsters your professional image as someone who is easy to deal with and communicate with – which, when seen by the right people, could equate to better pay, promotions, and more.

Does smiling at work really matter?

The aforementioned benefits focus heavily on the emotional impact of smiling, both for yourself and for those around you – igniting positive experiences for colleagues and peers, and making yourself feel more confident and in control. 

But, as those who follow our other blogs will already know, smiling is about so much more than just how you feel emotionally. It is also a direct link to your oral hygiene and overall health and wellbeing, which plays its own role in your professional image, in that good wellbeing is crucial for facilitating a stable approach to your professional life. 

Good oral hygiene helps to keep your entire body healthy and in good shape. Outwardly, it represents a level of care and a focus on your overall health, which is seen as positive by those around you. Internally, a good oral hygiene routine is integral for keeping bacteria at bay.

All of this can be represented in the way that you smile – with a bright and clean smile underpinning a positive approach to life, as well as a comprehensive and care-driven oral hygiene routine. 

How to achieve a brighter smile

Now that you understand a little more about the benefits of a bright smile in the workplace and in relation to your professional image – how do you achieve it?

Professional teeth whitening

If you practise good oral hygiene, you might find that your teeth just need a little extra care and attention to really sparkle – which is where a professional teeth whitening treatment can help. Conducted by dental professionals, who use sophisticated laser technology and a potent solution to cut through any surface stains and lift the colour of the dentin on your teeth effectively, professional teeth whitening can help to brighten your smile by a shade or two. 

While there are countless DIY and at-home solutions for teeth whitening, typically the efficiency and lasting results of a professional treatment make it much better value for money in the long run. Not to mention, when you book a professional treatment, you can be sure of the safety benefits as well as the results.

The importance of good oral hygiene – and fresh breath! 

We’ve already covered how a bright smile equates to good oral hygiene, but what we haven’t mentioned yet is breath. If you want to elevate your professional image, then fresh breath is an absolute must – again highlighting a consistent approach to dental hygiene and health, and making communication and professional encounters more pleasant for those around you. 

If you want to brighten your smile and improve your image both professionally and personally, focus on brushing, flossing, and rinsing your mouth regularly – and book regular appointments to see a hygienist for a thorough clean. 

The power of a bright smile

Your smile is part of what draws people to you, and in the professional working world, this can have a huge and lasting impact on the way you build connections and the opportunities that are opened to you. For tailored advice on how to elevate your smile, get in touch with your local dentist.