How social media affects Gen Z’s confidence

Social media is an integral part of many people’s lives, but can it put pressure on the way individuals present themselves to the world?

A new Forbes Health and Talker Research survey of 2,000 U.S.-based social media users reveals that it can, with 45% of respondents saying social media harms their confidence in their smile, particularly among Gen Z.

Key findings from the survey include:

• 53% of people compare their smiles to others on social media, and this figure is significantly higher among Gen Z (72%)
• 45% said that social media harms their confidence in their smile, with women feeling this confidence loss more than men, 53% to 35%, respectively
• Over half of those polled (56%) try to hide their smile in a variety of situations, with 34% hiding their teeth in photos
• 15% of people have edited the appearance of their teeth in a photo before posting it to social media

Higher social media use linked to more heightened levels of comparison

Fifty-three percent of survey respondents said they compare their smiles to others on social media, but this figure differs greatly when broken down by generation, with Gen Z coming in at 72% and millennials at 66%. The numbers fall for Gen X (48%) and baby boomers (36%).

This vast difference in survey responses between older and younger generations may be attributed to the fact that younger people simply spend far more time on image-focused social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and Tiktok.

In fact, according to recent data from the Pew Research Center, adults ages 18 to 29 (the age range of the oldest members of Gen Z) are about 20% more likely to use Instagram than millennials and about twice as likely as millennials to use Snapchat and TikTok.

Meanwhile, older generations are far less likely to use image-centric social media platforms, with only about 35% of people ages 50 to 64 and 15% of people older than 65 using Instagram, with the numbers plummeting to 13% and 4% for Snapchat, respectively.

More than two in five respondents say social media affects their confidence in their smile

With 15% of those polled saying they have edited photos or videos to change the appearance of their teeth before posting on social media and 34% hiding their teeth in photos, it’s clear that social media impacts smile confidence.

While younger generations may be considering their smiles more than older generations, the survey reveals a generational agreement that whenever a comparison is made between one’s real-life smile and those on social media, it often doesn’t feel good: 45% of total respondents said their self-esteem was negatively impacted.

More than a quarter of people (26%) say they have felt pressured to make changes—such as at-home whitening, aligners fitted by a dentist and more—to their smile due to social media, with the highest numbers amongst younger generations (47% of Gen Z and 34% of millennials versus 22% of Gen X and 12% of baby boomers). The number is higher among women (29%) compared to men (23%).

Although Gen Z and millennials responded similarly to older generations in terms of whether social media has a negative impact on how they feel about their smiles, the survey shows they are often more confident when it comes to posting pictures on social media that show their teeth.

While 32% of all respondents feel at least somewhat uncomfortable posting pictures on social media showing their teeth, baby boomers and Gen X feel the most self-conscious, at 38% and 37%, respectively.

Meanwhile, only 24% of Gen Z and 27% of millennials felt that same level of self-consciousness in their pearly whites. When it comes to gender, the survey found men feel more confident (28%) than women (36%).

What people are willing to do to change their smile

As far as what measures people might take to try to change their teeth and feel more confident, 29% overall have considered aligners fitted at a dentist, while another 27% have considered at-home aligners, suggesting these methods are equally popular.

Twenty-six percent have considered getting braces or other orthodontic treatment via a dentist. Aligners fitted by a dentist were most appealing to Gen Z at 36%, with at-home aligners most popular with millennials at 34%.

A factor that may influence these responses across the board is the number of people who fear the dentist, which came in at 38% across generations.

On average, people are prepared to spend $​​2,960 on changing their smile, with millennials prepared to part with the most cash ($3,542). They’re followed by Gen X ($2,689) and Gen Z ($2,673), with baby boomers coming in last at $2,111.

At-home solutions—with treatment plans that include quick in-person check-ins with your dentist every six to eight weeks—may be a good option for those who prefer to steer clear of the dentist, says Holli Careswell, D.D.S. , a board-certified general and cosmetic dentist with a private practice in Lee’s Summit, Missouri and a Forbes Health Advisory Board member.

However, Dr. Careswell says $3,000 is a “low expectation” for the overall cost of aligners, as many factors play a role in overall cost.

“The average cost [for clear aligners fitted by a dentist] in the Midwest is around $4,500 to $5,000 at a general practice, and around $6,000 to $6,500 at an orthodontist’s office,” she says, adding that insurance coverage for orthodontics could help cut the costs by around $1,500 to $2,500.

Older people are Dr. Careswell’s most common demographic for seeking clear aligners. “They didn’t have the opportunity to straighten their teeth when they were younger, or had braces but didn’t wear their retainers and their teeth moved,” she explains. “These are usually great cases for clear aligners because patients are motivated and understand the importance of retention after treatment.”

One in six have edited their teeth in photos before posting on social media

Even though younger generations may feel more confident posting their smiles, they may be doing it with a little extra help.

The advent of ever-improving photo editing tools is allowing more people to digitally alter pictures of themselves before posting them on social media.

Thirty percent of people polled admit to editing (15%) or have at least considered editing (15%) the appearance of their teeth in a photo before posting it to social media.

This percentage is higher amongst Gen Z (27%) and millennials (24%), followed by Gen X and baby boomers, at 12% and 4%, respectively.

This might reflect the fact that younger generations are more comfortable with photo editing software and the idea of social media photos being altered in the first place.

However, not everyone is sold on painting over their pearly whites: Over half of Gen Z and millennials (52% and 56%) responded that they would never edit photos to alter the look of their smile—or even consider doing so.

Social media plays a big role in promoting images that have been heavily filtered, edited and adjusted to the point of an inaccurate portrayal of how people actually look, says Sabrina Romanoff, M.D. , a Harvard-trained clinical psychologist and a member of the Forbes Health Advisory Board. “People tend to fixate on aspects of their appearance that are highlighted on social media (e.g., excessive focus on facial features, teeth, size of lips, wrinkles on the face) with the increased popularity of selfies,” she explains.

The role of social media and self-confidence in smiles

Experts note a dilemma of how mental health is affected by the daily influx of images that might cause people to feel like something is wrong with their appearance.

“Most people recognize social media as a major trigger for their anxiety and depression,” says Dr. Romanoff. “Specifically, it intensifies the discrepancy between the actual lives of users and the perceived lives of their peers.”

“Upward social comparison—the process of comparing oneself with those whose abilities and attributes are perceived as better than one’s own—may be especially important in this regard,” she adds. “Exposure to social networking sites may amplify the process of upward social comparison, particularly around appearance, and can therefore cause users to collectively miscalculate their standing as being lower than that of their peers.”

Indeed, the survey results support the argument that the desire to project a perfect image may be driving people to hide their smiles. A total of 56% of respondents report doing so—but situational context matters.

The most common situation people want to hide their smiles in is when taking a photo (34% of total respondents) but also when around acquaintances or strangers (27%) and when around family or friends (18%).

Gen Z and millennials are more likely to try hiding their smile around people than older generations, with 33% of Gen Z and 32% of millennials hiding their smiles around acquaintances or strangers, compared to 25% of Gen X and 20% of baby boomers.

Twenty-three percent of Gen Z and millennials hide their smiles around family and friends, compared to 18% of Gen X and 8% of baby boomers.

Women are more likely to hide their smiles in photos, while men are slightly more likely to hide their smiles around people.

Why do people feel the need to hide their smiles?

Forty percent of polled individuals say they hide their smile to avoid being judged or have their smile compared to others.

This is most prominently seen among younger generations, though the numbers don’t vary significantly, suggesting this is a fairly common feeling among people of all ages.

Gen Z and millennials are pretty even, with 43% and 47%, respectively, while 38% of Gen X and 28% of baby boomers say the same.

Low self-esteem or confidence in one’s smile is a sizable culprit in wanting to hide it, with 38% of respondents agreeing they hide their smile for this reason.

Looking at generational splits, this is most commonly seen in older generations, with 50% of baby boomers and 48% of Gen X feeling this way. Just 27% of Gen Z and 29% of millennials agree.

A fear of others not finding them attractive has 27% of respondents wanting to hide their smile, and this is fairly even across generations.

Nineteen percent of total respondents report hiding their smile because they have received negative comments about it in the past, which was highest amongst Gen Z, at 32%.

Dr. Romanoff confirms that younger generations are the ones most likely to feel down on themselves based on their appearance. “Younger patients tend to have the highest beauty standards,” she says. “Social media has led them to believe perfection is not only attainable, but that it is common—as they are bombarded daily with the ‘seemingly perfect’ lives of both strangers and their peers on their news feeds.”

It’s leading to changes in how younger generations interact with their peers and their world, she says. “I’ve noticed higher levels of social anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and in turn, higher levels of isolation [in younger people],” explains Dr. Romanoff.

How to make social media work for you instead of against you

Dr. Romanoff explains it’s possible to use social media mindfully and healthily.

“My doctoral research found evidence that there are ways to utilize social media to have a positive impact on well-being,” she explains. “Specifically, users who are more likely to use social media to boost the breadth and depth of their relationships (e.g., like and comment on peers’ content, expand their social networks by making new connections and strengthen existing relationships) and also those who posted status updates/photos and received positive affirmations from peers (e.g., likes and comments) had the highest positive impact on their well-being,” she says.

Bottom line, people who gave and received validation, support and words of kindness through positive peer interactions or by being vulnerable and sharing more about their life had the best impact on social media use and well-being, she concludes.

If you are interested in fine-tuning your social media use to improve your mental health, Dr. Romanoff recommends a “social media index,” in which you review your follow list and feed and consider your emotional reactions to viewing posts by various users. “If a user’s content is more net negative than positive, consider unfollowing or muting them,” she advises. “Also, consider what emotions come up for you when on your feed—is there a common emotion that arises and are there themes in emotional triggers? These could be helpful data points to understand more about yourself and what you could work on strengthening in your own life,” she says.

And sometimes, it may be best to simply walk away from your feed altogether. “It is also helpful to re-channel your energy into more productive outlets,” she says. “For example, any time you notice the urge to click on social media, instead grab a book or clean an area of your home so you can build a sense of accomplishment and mastery instead of endlessly scrolling.”

While the survey suggests social media has the power to harm self-esteem and confidence, it is heartening to know that we have control over our use of these platforms and can make thoughtful choices as to who and what we follow, what we post and even to limit our exposure altogether. Social media can be a positive force if we learn how to use it in a way that adds value to our lives.

Editorial Note: This story was originally published here.

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