How confident a person feels during a particular situation or activity depends upon numerous elements and beliefs. And, everyone is different with varying levels of awareness, as well as divergent and personal areas of importance. Confidence is something that cannot be precisely measured, however, most people are likely to respond favourably to success and accomplishment. Equally, when an individual is involved in the achievements of another it can also boost confidence, particularly if that person is in a familiar situation or has similar values or goals to their own.
Dental professionals will be aware of the importance of building confidence in members of the dental team, nurturing skills and talents and assisting each other. This is an area of familiarity, of mutual benefit, where challenges can be shared and overcome collectively. When this is accomplished well, it extends to the patients visiting the practice, increasing their confidence in the qualities and proficiency of the people that work there.
For many individuals, personal achievement influences their levels of confidence. Some feel self-assured by their level of fitness or sporting prowess, financial position, social status or occupational accomplishment, for others it is their academic ability, knowledge or skills. Conversely, a person’s confidence can be significantly influenced by their appearance or how they believe others perceive them.
Decades of studies have demonstrated that people, in particular women, are bombarded with images of unrealistic beauty that have resulted in unhappiness, anxiety, low self-esteem and low body confidence.[i] The compounding affect of negative body satisfaction has been shown to be a contributory factor in poor mental wellbeing[ii], eating disorders, obesity[iii] and risky behaviour in relation to drugs, smoking and sex.[iv]
Although only 32% of adults[v] agree with the statement: ‘your value depends on how you look’, many individuals become devoted consumers of products, programmes and procedures to improve their appearance and indeed their confidence. Fundamentally, many people overlook the value of more cost effective strategies and the impact and importance of good overall health.
For example it is believed that physical activity can improve self-esteem and self acceptance, indeed when a person enjoys the exercise they engage in, they are more likely to continue, and garner positive psychological effects.[vi]
As we know, the health of the mouth is crucial to overall health and visits to the dental practice can also help people to gain confidence. Patients are able to improve their smile, access safe cosmetic and tooth whitening procedures as well as essential oral health instruction and advice. Certainly, for some patients, conditions requiring orthodontic or cosmetic intervention can impact on issues of self-esteem and confidence. The British Orthodontic Society, in their Guidelines for Referrals for Orthodontic Treatment[vii] note improvement in dental and facial aesthetics often results “in improved self-esteem and other psycho-social aspects of the individual.”
In addition, no matter how healthy or satisfied some people may feel, they still could have feelings of uncertainty or concern about their breath. Interestingly it was recently revealed that nearly 40 per cent of people worry about their mouth once a day[viii]. Believed to affect around 25% of the entire population oral malodour be an exasperating and sometimes debilitating condition. In a seven-year Swiss study, halitosis was found to bring about inhibition, insecurity, withdrawal and reduced social contact to chronic sufferers.[ix]
Maintaining good oral hygiene and having regular dental checks and treatment when necessary will have a significant effect but practitioners can also annul any worries by encouraging patients to use an effective daily oral deodorant such as CB12 mouth rinse. By recommending CB12, practitioners can offer a reliable way of keeping the breath fresh, as it has been proven to work better than 18 other leading mouthwash brands. CB12 is able to target and neutralise all three odour-causing Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSCs)[x] that cause oral malodour and continue to ensure first class breath for 12 hours. Not only can patients feel confident about their breath but practitioners can also feel empowered by recommending a clinically proven solution to the problem.
When dental professionals feel appreciated for their skills, advice and contributions they are likely to feel more self-assured about their abilities and enhance their team’s performance. If it is possible to successfully resolve a condition such as unpleasant breath, the rewards are far reaching both physically and psychologically. In turn, this confidence and empowerment has a reciprocal effect that extends positively to colleagues and patients.
For more information about CB12 and how it could benefit your patients, please visit www.cb12.com
[i] YWCA Beauty at any cost. The Consequences of America’s Beauty Obsession on Women & Girls. August 2008. http://www.ywca.org [Accessed 13th May 2015]
[ii] Puhl, R. & Latner, J. D. 2007. Stigma, obesity and the health of a nation’s children. Psychological Bulletin. 133: 557-580.
[v] Government Equalities Office October 2014. Body Confidence – Findings from the British Social Attitudes Survey. www.gov.uk/.../Body_Confidence_Findings_October_2014.docx [Accessed 13th May 2015]
6 Cohen G, Shamus E. Depressed, Low Self-Esteem: What can exercise do for you? The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. April 2009. Volume 7 Number 2. http://ijahsp.nova.edu/articles/Vol7Num2/pdf/cohen.pdf [Accessed 13th May 2015]
[vii] http://www.bos.org.uk - The Justification for Orthodontic Treatment - British Orthodontic Society. [Accessed 13th May 2015]
[viii] Survey by Gorkana January 2015, commissioned by Align Technology
[ix] Andrea Zürcher, Andreas Filippi, Dept of Oral Surgery, University of Basel. 'Findings, Diagnoses and Results of a Halitosis Clinic over a Seven Year Period'. Schweiz Monatsschr Zahnmed. [Swiss Monthly Journal of Dentistry] 3/2012 Vol. 122 pp. 205-210
[x] Greenman et. al., Oral Diseases, Comparative effects of various commercially available mouthrinse formulations on oral malodour, (2011), 17:180-186.