How to Smile

Co-authored by Tu Anh Vu, DMD and Hannah Madden

Smiling may come naturally to some people; however, for the rest of us, it can be a little challenging. Finding the right smile for pictures, selfies, and everyday life is tough, especially if you haven’t figured out which smile looks best for you. Thankfully, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to get the perfect smile for every occasion.

Things You Should Know

Create a more natural smile by saying "money," relaxing your brows and jaw, or recalling something hilarious as you grin.
Train yourself to smile more by practicing your grin in the mirror each morning.
Keep your smile beautiful with regular dental cleanings and good oral hygiene.

Question 1 of 7:

How do you smile naturally?

1
Say “money” as you smile. It’s way better than saying “cheese!” When you say “money,” your natural smile opens up wide and the rest of your face relaxes. It’s actually an old trick that Hollywood stars use for photographs.^{[1]
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2
Relax your eyebrows and jaw muscles. If you’re feeling tense, your smile is going to look a little forced, and you could create extra wrinkles around your eyes and brows. Take a deep breath and relax the muscles in your face before you start smiling. It might help to close your eyes quickly and then open them back up.^{[2]
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3
Think about something funny. If a natural smile just isn’t coming, try to make yourself chuckle. You could remember a funny story, tell yourself a joke, or think about cute puppies frolicking in the sunshine to make you smile.^{[3]
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Question 2 of 7:

How do you smile without teeth?

Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Then, lift the corners of your mouth into a small smile. Keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth tightens your cheek and jaw muscles, which makes your face look slimmer and more natural.^{[4]
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- You can also part your lips ever so slightly to give more of a puckered look.

Question 3 of 7:

How do you practice smiling?

Watch yourself in the mirror. It sounds silly, but it’s the only way to know how you’re really smiling. If you want to change or perfect your smile, head to your bathroom or bedroom mirror and flash yourself a grin. Do this a few times per day and make adjustments until you’re satisfied with your smile.^{[5]
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Question 4 of 7:

How do you smile for a selfie?

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Combine your smile with a pout. This is sometimes called the “social media face.” You don’t have to go full duck lips if you don’t want to—instead, smile naturally, then purse your lips before snapping a pic of yourself.^{[6]
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Try out different camera angles. When you take a selfie, you get to decide how high to hold the camera. As you snap a few pics, try moving your phone from left to right, then tilting your head ever so slightly. Once you find your “good side,” or the side you look best from, practice smiling while facing the camera at an angle.^{[7]
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Question 5 of 7:

How do you train yourself to smile more often?

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Start your day by practicing your smile. Stand in front of the mirror and look at yourself while you smile. Remind yourself that you’re going to try to smile more often today, and keep practicing for about 5 minutes. It will start you out on the right foot so you’re ready to smile more!^{[8]
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Surround yourself with smile-inducing things. It could be your friends, your family members, your pets, or your favorite book. When you’re happy or content with the things in your life, you’re much more likely to smile more often throughout the day.^{[9]
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Question 6 of 7:

How do you maintain a beautiful smile?

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Practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth and tongue regularly, carry floss wherever you go so that you can clean up after eating, and have breath freshener on you at all times. The more you take care of your smile, the more beautiful it will look!^{[10]
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Expert Source

Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist
Expert Interview. 10 April 2020.}
2
See your dentist regularly. Cleanings and checkups are an important part of your smile health. If you have any concerns about crooked teeth, you can ask your dentist to refer you to an orthodontist.^{[11]
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American Dental Association
World's largest dental professional organization and advocate for proper oral health
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3
Cut down on things that contribute to tooth staining. This includes smoking and drinking things like red wine, coffee, and soda. If you notice your teeth are looking a little dingy or yellow, try to cut back on those things one by one. If you’re concerned, try a whitening treatment to freshen up the look and color of your teeth.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist
Expert Interview. 10 April 2020.}

Question 7 of 7:

How do you fix a gummy smile?

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Relax the muscle in your upper lip with botox. If your lip tends to scrunch upwards too high when you smile, you can get an injection to relax that upper muscle. Then, when you smile, your lip will sit lower in your mouth, covering up more of your gums.^{[13]
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2
Get a gum lift or lip repositioning surgery. Both of these procedures can be done by dentists or oral surgeons. In a gum lift, they will remove a portion of the gum around your tooth and place the gum line higher. In a lip repositioning, the surgeon will make 2 incisions in the gums under your lip. They’ll add a small band of tissue to keep your lip in place so it sits lower on your gum line.^{[14]
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- Since these procedures are cosmetic, they usually aren’t covered by insurance. You can check with your provider to see how much either one will cost you.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I make my teeth more attractive?

Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist
Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a board certified dentist who runs her private practice, Tu's Dental, in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia. Dr. Vu has conducted research related to finding the cure for Kaposi Sarcoma cancer and has presented her research at the Hinman Meeting in Memphis. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

Tu Anh Vu, DMD

Board Certified Dentist

Expert Answer

Cut out lifestyle habits that could stain your teeth, such as smoking or drinking coffee.
Question

How can I whiten my teeth quickly?

Tu Anh Vu, DMD
Board Certified Dentist
Dr. Tu Anh Vu is a board certified dentist who runs her private practice, Tu's Dental, in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Vu helps adults and kids of all ages get over their anxiety with dental phobia. Dr. Vu has conducted research related to finding the cure for Kaposi Sarcoma cancer and has presented her research at the Hinman Meeting in Memphis. She received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and a DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

Tu Anh Vu, DMD

Board Certified Dentist

Expert Answer

Look for whitening strips that you can wear after brushing your teeth to help brighten up your smile.