So what is the reason behind so many people wanting whiter, healthier-looking smiles?  What do whiter teeth and a whiter smile do for people?

Many people have greater confidence when they have a whiter smile.  A great smile can be a real confidence booster and many people are self-conscious about how clean their teeth appear to others.  Most pile smile all the time and we just unconsciously feel that a whiter smile is better.

This confidence and other people’s impressions are linked to hygiene.  While whiter teeth don’t necessarily mean better hygiene, we subconsciously equate it with that, so people with whiter teeth are generally seen as “cleaner.”  Even people who brush regularly and are otherwise well groomed can feel less clean because their smile isn’t as white as they’d like.

Surveys have also shown that whiter teeth are tied with the impression of age.  The same person, one with stained teeth and the other with a whiter smile, will be judged at different ages by observers with the whiter teeth winning out as a younger impression.

This impression ties in with sexual attraction as well.  The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry did a study that showed that 85% of adults said an unattractive smile makes the opposite sex less appealing.  It’s likely that this ties in with the confidence and cleanliness issues above.  Whiter teeth do make for better lovers, apparently–at least through the impressions people gave.

Most teeth whitening methods are considered safe if they’ve been approved by the American Dental Association.  While there are a lot to choose from, that’s because a whiter smile can mean a happier, more confident you.