Study Shows Whiter Teeth Lead to Greater Success

Study Shows Whiter Teeth Lead to Greater Success

Teeth whitening is an eleven billion dollar industry in the US and immensely popular worldwide. Once a luxury reserved for the rich and famous, teeth whitening has since become more affordable with take-home kits and procedures being offered by most dental clinics. People get their teeth whitened before weddings, job interviews and other important events because it makes them appear successful, healthy and professional. This has long been the common perception of whitened teeth, whereas yellow teeth tend to suggest a slovenly attitude. The shade of a person’s teeth is viewed as a reflection of their personality.

All this was confirmed with a study undertaken by Crest Whitestrips in 2007, which concluded a bright, white smile actively affects the impression you make on others.

The Study

Titled ‘The Impact of Whiter Teeth on Key First Impressions’, Crest Whitestrips’ study took 80 random participants and included simulated job interviews, first dates and an online survey. After being screened to make sure none of the participants had dental work which would be resistant to the whitening procedures, the participants were put together in these scenarios and asked to report on their experiences afterwards.

The study revealed that 58% of study participants with their teeth whitened were likely to be hired for a job, and 53% received larger salary offers, as opposed to those whose teeth weren’t whitened. Participants were viewed to be more professional and confident in the job interviews and more outgoing in the first dates. During the online surveys, positive attributes such as trustworthiness, financial success and professional success were all attributed to the participants.

Much of what this study revealed is about first impressions. How you present yourself to another person, especially for the first time and in an arranged setting, says something about how you value yourself and the encounter you are about to have with the person. Similar to dressing well, whitened teeth shows that you care about how the other person perceives you.

The importance of a good smile

Studies on the importance of smiling date back to Charles Darwin, who observed that smiling served as a way to connect us with others. People who cannot smile due to muscular paralysis have more difficulty in social relationships.

People tend to mirror body language, often copying the facial expressions of others. It’s a common adage that laughter is infectious, but a smile can be even more so. This is evident in salespeople during transactions, who will smile at their customers in order to communicate trust and persuade the customer into a good mood, where they might be more inclined to make a large purchase.

In general, a good smile is a broad, open smile, showing a row full of pearly white teeth. In addition to good, dental hygiene, teeth whitening is the most effective way to ensure a beautiful white smile, often enough to dazzle others. When it comes to positive first impressions, scientific studies and psychology point to a whiter smile as the better option.