Everything Beautiful is Healthy. By: Dr. Nishita Ondhia

As humans, we are attracted to beauty.  Interestingly, all things beautiful are healthy; consider one’s height, their physique, skin, hair, nails and especially important is their smile.  A beautiful smile is a healthy smile that functions well over time and promotes overall health and wellness.

This is a bold statement.

One of the fundamental characteristics is a wide, broad smile without a buccal corridor.  The buccal corridor refers to the dark, lateral space or “shadow tunnel” between the cheek and the outer surface of the posterior teeth when someone smiles.  The size of this space influences the perceived attractiveness and balance of a smile.  There is common misconception that is space is primarily aesthetic and is not a direct health concern; I would disagree.

A natural wide smile represents an anatomically wide, dome-shaped palate which is key for ideal airway health. This shape is typically found in persons who nose breathe, swallow correctly and have a good occlusions; heir teeth are correctly aligned and they have good jaw relationships.  In turn, excessive buccal corridors may represent narrow arches, misalignment, missing teeth and the inability for proper tongue function – all of these may have subsequent secondary health concerns.  In addition, large buccal corridors may affect patient confidence and self-esteem which also has an affect on our emotional well-being.

My key takeaway … EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IS ACTUALLY HEALTHY!!

Dr. Nishita Ondhia