PIC: LONIM PRASAI DIXIT

Of all the facial expressions, the smile is regarded by many as the one that determines attractiveness. Despite this, we see many people not giving it the priority it deserves. When people look at other people's faces, it is the mouth region that stands out. A pout, a grimace, tight-lipped determination or a smile are all clues to a person's demeanour, personality or mood.

But a smile, besides being an indication of happiness or contentment, also has a bearing on a person's well-being, social acceptance and level of self-confidence. In terms of evolution, people with bright smiles are supposed to transmit the message of good health and therefore make it easier to find a mate. Scientific studies have shown a correlation between what we regard as 'beautiful' or 'handsome' with good health. For example, facial and bodily symmetry, smooth skin, posture and stature are important criteria for judging attractiveness in most human societies.

Whether a smile is vibrant, healthy, glowing or not depends a lot on the teeth inside the mouth. And, it is here that we in Nepal are way behind. Not only are there too few dentists, but the number who have specialised in cosmetic dentistry are just a handful.

Now that medical schools in Nepal are churning out doctors and dental surgeons, there is a growing demand from students to specialise in cosmetic dentistry. And just for that purpose along comes a book co-authored by Nepal's foremost cosmetic dentist, Sushil Koirala and his Singaporean colleague, Adrian Yap.

Koirala and Yap's A Clinical Guide to Direct Cosmetic Restorations should be a required acquisition for all medical college libraries in Nepal and the subcontinent. Although too technical for the layman, Koirala has applied Vedic definitions of beauty in a unique classification for use in aesthetic dentistry. The 'Vedic smile' is classified into six different types depending on emotion, facial and eyes expressions, lip movement, visibility of teeth, sound and body gestures. The Sanskirt word, Smita, for example means smile, and Hasita means laugh.

Through the experience of his practice in Nepal, he has identified the main dental deformities which are not just the cause of health problems but also affect the personality and self-confidence of patients. And once the problem is identified, Koirala and Yap say, it is possible to 'design a smile' best suited to you. For all this, fixing one's teeth is important-not just for appearance but also for speech defects and other issues of oral health.

Nepal would probably be a much better place if our leaders smiled more. But for that they'd first need to get their teeth fixed.

A Clinical guide to Direct Cosmetic Restorations by Sushil Koirala and Adrian Yap Dental Tribune International
Leipzig, Germany, 2008

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'Brushing up' #447