It’s not an overstatement to say that when someone gets a new smile, it can be life-changing. Here are ways you can change a life by giving a smile.
The Gift of a Healthy Smile
Everyone knows that regular oral care is important for healthy teeth and gums, but unfortunately, sometimes obtaining that care simply costs too much. One study found that nearly 13% of working-age adults in the U.S. have skipped dental care because they couldn’t afford it. The problem doesn’t just end there; falling behind on routine dental care can lead to greater problems over time which only get worse and become more expensive.
To address this situation, there are a number of charitable organizations whose mission is to provide free dental care for people who need it most. Give Kids a Smile, run by the American Dental Association, and Smile for a Lifetime both provide dental services to financially disadvantaged children, while Smiles Change Lives provides orthodontic services. The American College of Cosmetic Dentistry Charitable Foundation runs Give Back a Smile, which provides dental services to women and men who have dental injuries due to abuse. Charities which address dental needs of people around the world include Smiles Without Borders and Dentaid.
The Gift of Life Through a Smile
While some new smiles are life-changing, others are literally life-saving. That can be the case for procedures done to correct cleft lips and cleft palates, a condition where the roof of the mouth and/or upper lip doesn’t form properly in utero. In the most severe cases, this condition can cause death. It can also leave those affected with difficulty with eating, swallowing, and speech production, as well as greatly impact self-worth and self-esteem.
Cleft palates and cleft lips are some of the most common birth defects worldwide. Correcting them requires surgery, or a series of surgeries, which can be out of reach for some families, both financially and geographically. This is why a number of charitable organizations address this need to help children with this condition get the care they need. These surgeries save lives, restore function, and give the gift of increased self-confidence.
If you want to change a child’s life forever, consider donating to one of these charities. Two that are highly regarded are Operation Smile and Smile Train.
The Gift of a Smile at Home
Of course, you can also give the gift of a beautiful smile to yourself or someone in your family. If you’re a parent, you have the opportunity to give an incredible gift to your child that will last a lifetime. When you choose orthodontic treatment for your child, you’re not just giving them a straight, even smile and healthy bite, but a confidence booster that will change the way they see themselves.
What about you, are you 100% satisfied with your smile? Whether you have a single tooth that’s out of alignment, or are experiencing more severe issues, you owe it to yourself to look into treatment options that could give you the smile of your dreams. With today’s materials and technology, treatment is faster, easier, and more discreet than ever.
