A philosopher in the past said that what makes humans somehow distinct from other animals is our ability to smile and laugh. It is basically our way of expressing joy and celebration. Telling others that smile is important sounds simple, but when you try to look inside the minds of many individuals, there is something in their teeth that holds them back from showing that natural expression of happiness. Being natural has somehow diminished in value nowadays. To preserve that innate ability without having recourse to artificiality, this article lists dental, psychological and philosophical means to a smile makeover.

(1)Dental means. If you have crooked teeth and you feel unconfident smiling, you can try putting braces on. If you have broken or decaying tooth in front, replace it with an implant crown (if necessary), cover it with veneer, or fill it with other dental amalgam. If the tooth is gone, have a dental implant. If you aim for sparkling white teeth, there are dental cleaning and whitening methods. Modern dentistry has come up of new methods to solving dental problems. All you have to do is to spend a little money.

(2)Psychological means. Without regular reinforcement (or if there is always punishment) for a particular action, most probably a person will stop himself from doing that action. If you feel ashamed of your smile, that is because you see other people show dislike with it. But the psychological process does not end there. Your mind is somehow free (determined in so complicated way), and your ego can overcome a hindrance by reinforcing itself. First, try the dental smile makeover. Second, focus on your actions, not on others’ reactions. Third, compensate by having a good haircut or new clothes, or new friends. And lastly, read philosophy—it can bring you beyond worldly things and concerns without renouncing them. Smile!

(3)Philosophical means. Some say that reading philosophy is difficult, but the real reason is not that they “cannot” rather they “do not” try to understand the way they think. Philosophizing is like self-reflection. In relation to our topic, smiling is a social responsibility—that is if you understand what friendliness means. Having a smile makeover signifies your care for yourself, if not for self-image. Also, it saves you from the bondage of artificiality, anxiety and bad faith to your ego. But most importantly, your ability to smile should not be repressed because you have an ugly smile; what matters is you smile, laugh and relish your joy. Forget about the distinction between “I” and “you”, and what remains is simply “I” and pure smile.