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Conventional Western culture frequently acknowledges the idea that the body’s physique fluctuates in accordance with lifestyle. For example, an active body becomes an athletic body versus an obese one. Yet, interestingly, the craniofacial structure has always been excluded from this logic although multiple studies have shown that lifestyle choices can have just as powerful, if not more of an influence, on human attributes than underlying genetics.
We know that people spend billions annually lifting, plumping, freezing, moisturising skin and ‘repairing’ teeth in the hope of enhancing the outer appearance of their face. With this superficial shift, we have completely forgotten about the muscles and bones of the facial structure, ignoring the fact that they too are responding to the lifestyle we are experiencing. As a society we then start comparing ourselves to others rather than embracing our own natural formation based on the way we chose to live our lives.
The age-old genetic rationalisation for our facial features deflects any influences an altered lifestyle has created for human faces. Traditional orthodontic practitioners don’t help either; reinforcing unhelpful misconceptions by attributing oral concerns to genetics and often explaining that we inherited certain dental traits from our parents.
This widely accepted belief, which is unsubstantiated, has permeated both the dental community and the public opinion. In reality, there is no gene for jaws that don’t grow right. Our DNA has not changed, but the environment in which our genes express themselves has.
Common problems or concerns around the process of ageing, teeth straightening, jawline concerns and nose imperfections can start to affect our confidence and we start to develop a negative self-image. Societal expectations influence a range of the choices we make, social media platforms exaggerate this even further, and we start the negative spiral into unrealistic beauty standards, using surgery and other enhancements as a quick fix solution, when in reality we are creating an even bigger concern as their effects wear off.
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Katrina Fahey, a Masters student at James Cook University studying Lifestyle Medicine, is a craniofacial health coach well versed in evolution and anthropology.