3 Powerful Reasons To Invest In Your Smile

As a mompreneur mentor, I offer a lot of advice, and if you’d ask me, “what’s the one thing you tell moms over and over again to succeed in motherhood and in their business?”, I’d tell you it is this: “invest in yourself!”

There is a lot of fear around money and a lot of us grew up with paradigms about lack and scarcity that cause us to be constricted and contracted when “paying” for something, especially when life doesn’t seem abundant in the moment. The same goes for “spending” time or energy doing something that doesn’t seem urgent or doesn’t provide instant gratification.

Even though investing in yourself needs to be a holistic practice, my focus today is about investing in your smile, literally.

The past few months I’ve been doing just that.Investing lots of money, lots of time, and lots of energy so that my oral health and hygiene are optimal. And while this may seem like the last thing on my list of priorities, I have finally decided to take care of myself and  stop procrastinating my well-being. If you think I’m making my teeth kind of a big deal, it’s because they actually are. Poor oral health can impact your life in ways that you wouldn’t know, imagine, or expect.

While being pregnant with Little Pige, I didn’t really know any better so I didn’t protect myself from pregnancy gingivitis. I had plenty of “good” excuses and didn’t take care of my mouth like I could have. I’d like to say I then realized how important it was, but it actually took a huge hole in my tooth and unbearable pain to get me to invest in an electric toothbrush, dental work, and gum treatment. No, I don’t have dental insurance, but I’m reminding myself that you don’t need to take care of all your teeth, only the ones you want to keep. I want to keep them all… and I want to keep them looking good, too!

I feel really blessed to have this outlet to tell my story (even though it does feel embarrassing to an extent to talk about my untreated cavities) and pray that it can inspire you to spread the word about the importance of good oral health habits, as well as to reevaluate your own family routine, if needed.

Take a look at this infographic that unveils the results of LISTERINE® Brand and GFK’s recent survey about the social impact of poor oral health.

When I look at these findings, and think of my own journey of getting back to healthy again, I definitely feel that practicing a complete routine of brushing, flossing and rinsing in order to ensure whole mouth health, is a minimal investment. Not taking care of your mouth can cost you so much!

They say that a smile is the curve that makes everything right. Well, many people are too self-conscious to smile, because of their poor oral health.

There are 3 powerful reasons to invest in your smile:

Your Relationships ~ I believe that smiles are healing. I definitely know that my big smile makes me memorable to people (even more than my height – or lack thereof lol), and without it, I wouldn’t feel like myself. As you can see, I’m not alone. Having a healthy mouth and a good smile has substantial impact on how other people perceive you – at home, at work, and in your social circle. Practicing proper oral hygiene increases our self-confidence, motivation, and desire to be close to someone (and as moms, we need a lot of all three!). I personally also think that taking care of myself helps me have a better relationship with my daughters, and that I am inspiring them to make their own self-care a priority. I also feel more in integrity when I am attempting to enforce healthy oral care habits.

Your Health ~ I was shocked to know that more than 8 in 10 people believe they have a healthy mouth, yet nearly all people in the USA suffer from some form of oral disease – most of which can be prevented by practicing proper oral hygiene. 

Of course, health is more than not suffering from disease, having skin issues, or being excessively overweight. Think about your overall health…your sense of preparedness, confidence, and mental state. A healthy mouth invites a positive life… and you know that’s my thing.

Your Career ~ Having an unhealthy mouth weakens a job seeker’s chance to getting hired, or an employee’s odds to getting promoted.

As mom entrepreneurs, poor oral health can cost us clients and key partnerships, too. “Deal breaker” really means “deal breaker!” Public speaking, leading, and speaking up are key aspects of being a business owner and influencer… imagine not doing so confidently because of your teeth. I actually once mentored a brilliant woman who was willing to grow her business until it required being around people. She would rather stay behind her computer and get just a little better results because she was going to wait until she raised tens of thousands of dollars to “fix her teeth.” Insert sad face.

I’m sure these reasons and statistics are as real to you as they are to me. We all have a story and/or know a story. It’s time to end the cycle and create better stories to share.

The journey of making positive changes in my oral care routine has been a tremendous blessing and a huge source of empowerment for me (not to mention pain relief!), and I am even more committed to oral health now.

Using a powerful toothbrush, flossing, and incorporating mouth rinse into a twice-daily oral care routine will take care of the germs that cause plaque, cavities, and gum disease. A therapeutic mouthwash cleans virtually 100% of your mouth to achieve up to five times healthier gums in two weeks and up to nine times healthier gums in four weeks. Did you know all this? I’m getting my family busy!

I invite you to take a look at your family’s oral care regimen, to make investing in yourself and in your smile a priority, and to help others recognize and understand the significant repercussions and implications of a lack of oral hygiene, not only in their health, but their overall success in career and relationships.

I’d love to hear your thoughts below. Do you have a story about oral health to share? Share with us in the comments below.

[ela]