Beauty Pageants in Illinois

​In Illinois, the major beauty pageant contest is the Sunburst Beauty Pageant. According to the Sunburst website, “we prefer very little to no makeup on 6 years and under.  It's not too late to make your child's dreams come true.  Shouldn't every child have a special day to shine.”10 Parents are easily influenced by advertisements into believing that in order for their child to be special, or to be noticed they need to participate in these events and win prizes. With the use of prizes they convince children that the thought of winning is something to look forward to. During an interview with TODAY, on competing,  Allie Richardson five-years old told interviewer Micheal Inbar,“I have liked it, because it’s fun and I win. And I feel good when I win, like I get big stuff” Aside from the fame and self confidence after winning some parents intentionally sign up their children  due to the financial rewards. After an interview Joey Lynn George told an interviewer that she encourages her daughter Hailey to participate in these events in order to “make mommy and daddy some money”
​Whereas an interview, with  Brooke Breedwell, she brings the audience her experience of participating in beauty contests. According to Brooke "Pageants have put a lot of stress and anxiety on [her] life". Breedwell argues that these events push girls to realistic thought, such as being perfect at everything, whether it’s with hair, skin tone, eye brows or even teeth. In his article, Toddlers, Tiaras and Flippers, Andrew Depietro states that one way  parents enhance their children’s teeth is by using flippers. Flippers are a  set of false front teeth that participants wear during beauty pageants.  The contestants who wear flippers are at the age where there teeth are falling out. However, flippers are being used for more than just lost teeth. They’re also used to cover small teeth, yellow teeth, or teeth that just look off. But not knowing the conditions children are going through parents force their kids to wear flipper teeth just for the look of a perfect smile. According to Chris Salierno, a dentist economics, “Pressure on the healing surgical site can be disastrous. Bone graft material can be displaced, an unintegrated implant can receive occlusal forces, and gingiva can be irritated.” Disastrous meaning dangerous, meaning that along the way flipper teeth can lead dangerous issues in the mouth which will later on affect the child. When one is not aware of the effects they don’t consider the amount of pain a child goes through in the process of being ‘beautiful”.