Your portfolio and resume’ are in order. You’ve researched the company. You bought a new suit. You are dressed to the nines and you aced your presentation. There is one thing you forgot. Your teeth.
Impressions are made in the first five minutes of an interview. A smile that isn’t open or approachable is a turn off. Employers not only judge you by your manners, your demeanor, your energy level, your answers, your knowledge – but also your smile. Dingy, crooked or cruddy looking teeth can actually cost you a job.
Are you looking for a job? If your teeth aren’t their whitest, you need to work on them because teeth whitening will help you get a job. First impressions can make or break any relationship, and this is never truer than when interviewing for a job.
Research has shown that your smile is very important when making a first impression. Not just smiling, but how it looks. A study showed that a lovely whiter smile “has a strong, defined How Teeth Whitening Can Help You Get A Job effect on meaningful personal interactions, both in social and professional realms.”
Teeth Whitening Can Help You Get A Job
The study proved that all other things being equal, a whiter smile significantly affects how you are considered in a job interview. Teeth whitening can help you get job! The study found that 58% of those in the study were offered a job and 53% were offered a larger salary after they whitened their teeth. 65% of study participants were viewed as appearing more professional and 61% were viewed as more confident. In this current job market, using any leg up to land that job is important. Whitening your teeth is an easy way to help you get a job.
So if you are going to a job interview, have your teeth whitened. All things being equal, why not simple things to help you gain an advantage? Obviously teeth whitening won’t get it in the absence of qualifications for the job, but it will certainly make the difference if you and another candidate are equally qualified.
Give yourself the edge before you go to your next job interview with a whiter smile.
Add a Good Smile to Your Resume
Past studies on the role that teeth play in the job market have also concluded that the aesthetics of your smile impact your chances. If you plan on job hunting in the near future, now might be the right time to give your smile a much needed makeover. For mildly crooked or gapped teeth, Realign clear braces can help you straighten your smile to impress the hiring managers at your next interview.
At shanti dental, we can also fix your chipped, broken, or missing teeth to give you a seamless smile. Porcelain dental crowns and veneers will hide tooth damage and protect your remaining tooth from further damage. Durable porcelain dental implants can fill any holes in your smile. We carefully color-match the porcelain used in these procedures with your natural teeth so that your restorations look natural.
Stained teeth also leave a lasting impression during your interview. With Zoom! Tooth Whitening services, we can quickly and comfortably brighten your smile.
Why Some Teeth are Whiter
Healthy, white teeth come in a variety of hues and shades. We are all unique, and so are our smiles. The white of your teeth actually comes from the outer layer, the enamel. Healthy enamel is like strong bone and protects the inner layers of your teeth. Protecting your enamel is a good way to maintain white teeth.
Still, some people have naturally whiter teeth than others. Maybe it’s a result of good oral hygiene, maybe it’s just good genetics, or maybe they’re just young enough that their teeth haven’t started yellowing yet. Unfortunately, all of our teeth tend to yellow and discolor with age.
Some bad habits that stain your teeth include:
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Drinking red wine
- Drinking coffee
- Drinking cola
- Eating dark-colored berries
- Taking certain medications (tetracycline)
How You Can Get White Teeth
People have used a variety of products and procedures since the beginning of time to brighten their smiles. In ancient Egypt, white teeth were a sign of beauty and wealth. The ancient Egyptians used a paste made of ground pumice and wine vinegar to whiten their teeth.
Modern bleaching with peroxide and trays was actually an accidental discovery. Dentists knew that peroxide was a good antiseptic and used it to treat gum disease. As they tried to find ways to keep the peroxide on the gums for longer periods of time, they saw the peroxide also made teeth whiter! Today, whitening products come in all forms: strips, trays, paste, rinses, and laser lights to speed up the process.
Not all teeth have to be blinding or unnatural looking to pass the test. Your dentist can help you determine the best shade of white for your own teeth based on the rest of your coloring. Too much teeth bleaching might increase your tooth sensitivity, so consult with your Hillsboro dentist before you start any whitening treatment.
Bad teeth, broken dreams: Lack of dental care keeps many out of jobs
Without dental care, adults already struggling to get by find that obvious dental problems – teeth that are missing, discolored, broken or badly crooked — make their situation even harder
Most people – including employers – make instant judgments based on appearance, including someone’s smile and teeth.
Proverb says
- “If you want to portray someone as being wicked, they have missing front teeth. If they’re ignorant, they have buck teeth,”
- “Even from a very early age, we associate how one presents their oral health with all kinds of biases that reflect some of the social biases that we have.”
- Those views can prevent potential employers from recognizing potential assets.
- “If they have a job that requires them to interact socially with the public, it’s almost impossible for them to get that job like Customer service jobs, good entry-level jobs. These jobs are not available to people who lack the basic ability to smile, to function, to chew properly.
Prepare Your Teeth Before, During and After the Interview
Before the Interview
- Cover the Basics. The basic things you can do to ensure your teeth are clean is to brush and floss before the interview. Also, remember to use mouthwash to keep bad breath away!
- Brighten Your Smile. If you have stained teeth, try to whiten your teeth a few days before the interview.
- Eat Something! It’s always a good idea to eat something before the interview so that you aren’t starving or your stomach doesn’t growl obnoxiously. It is important, however, to eat something that will be beneficial to your teeth!
Do Eat…
- High Protein Foods
- Dairy Products
- Citrus
- Cereal Grains
- Fish
Don’t Eat…
- Sugary Items
- Chewy or hard Candy
- Dark Drinks (Soda, Coffee, Wine)
- Acid/Vinegar
Do a Teeth Check! Before the interview, check the mirror quickly to make sure your smile looks great.
During the Interview
- Don’t Chew Gum. It may be a distraction or just unprofessional if you are in an interview with gum in your mouth. Be sure to spit it out beforehand.
- Smile! Smiling is endearing in several ways, but if anything, it will show your excitement or politeness to the employer.
After the Interview
- Don’t Forget About the Importance of Appearance. It could feel like you no longer need to care about what you look like if you have the job, but that is not the case!
- Now more than ever is the time that you need to focus on how you present yourself in the workplace. Drastically changing how you appear from the interview could affect your trust with your new boss.
- We hope you have found this guide insightful and helpful as you prepare for your next job interview or promotion! Remember to keep your oral hygiene up-to-date to make a lasting impression.