It is often said that “A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear.” You can probably find this quote hung up on your dentist’s wall – especially if he is a cosmetic dentist or orthodontist – but did you know that a beautiful smile can have an incredibly positive effect on your health as well? Shocking, isn’t it? Who would have ever thought that there are actual health benefits of smiling?
It is one of the world’s mysteries, and the effect is under a lot of research to know how a smile affects the body. Follow this blog and find out how exactly a smile benefits your health.
How Does Smiling Affect The Brain?
Smiling and laughing mainly affect the brain, and since the brain is the driving force behind every other system in your body, all of them are affected positively. When you smile or laugh, your brain releases several chemicals responsible for happiness. This correctly dubbed “Happiness cocktail” consists of dopamine, serotonin, and most importantly, endorphins.
These hormones drive happiness into your brain and your body. The same effect happens when you eat chocolate or recall a happy memory. Another interesting fact is that this effect happens even when your smile is fake. You don’t have to smile or laugh out loud from the heart. All you need to do is simulate a smile, and your brain takes care of the rest.
The Health Benefits Of Smiling Explained
Now that we’ve established what happens in your brain when you smile let’s explore what happens to the rest of the body. Some of the amazing health benefits of smiling include:
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Elevating the mood:
There is a co-dependent relationship between smiling and mood. When you are happy, you smile naturally, but you can also try to smile your troubles away when your mood is not that great. You’d be surprised at how smiling – even fakely – can turn your mood around in a second.
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Keeping your face and skin looking forever young:
Smiling engages more than five pairs of muscles in the face. The skin covering these muscles is kept shiny and taut by the action of these muscles. There is a common misconception that smiling causes wrinkles –also known as smile lines – but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Think of it as taking your face to the gym.
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Relief of stress and anxiety:
Our bodies are regulated through a few hormones and chemicals. The one mainly responsible for stress is known as cortisol. When you smile, the endorphins are released in the brain, which act as counter agents to cortisol. That’s why you find people laughing in stressful situations such as wars or when they face a huge problem at work.
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Relief of pain:
Now we enter the realm of the unknown – and probably unbelievable. Smiling and laughing can dampen physical pain, not to mention emotional pain as well. In addition to being the happiness chemicals, endorphins also have a pain-killing effect and can lower the unpleasant sensation of pain.
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Lowering heart rate and blood pressure:
There is a direct relationship between laughing and blood pressure, which may be one of the strangest health benefits of smiling. There is still no obvious explanation for this phenomenon. One of the projected theories is that smiling is accompanied by an initial increase of breathing rate and heart rate, immediately followed by a reduction in the heart rate a few seconds later. When the heart rate decreases, the blood pressure goes down with it. Who would have thought that the treatment of one of the most serious health threats is as simple as a smile?
How Smiling Affects Other People
Research also found that the effects of a beautiful smile don’t just affect you, but the people around you as well. The saying “a smile is infectious” may have a solid scientific base. Studies have shown that when you smile, the people around you are also tempted to smile. Not only that, but the reward center of the brain is activated when you see someone smile. You feel a sense of accomplishment and happiness, even when the source of the smile is not you.
On the other hand, people with beautiful smiles are happier and more successful overall in life. The effect was termed the “halo effect.” It was discovered that people with great smiles have better job opportunities, better chances of marriage, get along better with others, and are even deemed more trustworthy and believable.
What Makes An Attractive Smile?
Now that we’ve established the many health benefits of smiling let’s explore what makes a smile attractive. From a dentist’s point of view, a beautiful smile has a few qualities such as:
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A full set of teeth:
A missing tooth – especially in the front area – is one of the most unattractive features ever. When a tooth is lost due to decay, periodontal disease, or even trauma, you should seek replacement as soon as possible. Not only are the esthetics affected, but functions such as speech and chewing as well.
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Straightness:
Another important quality of a beautiful smile is its straightness. When you have crowded, crooked, or spaced teeth, that can seriously make your smile unattractive. Braces are probably the most obvious way to fix such problems, but other options are available, so consulting with your dentist is a good idea.
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Whiteness and brightness:
Let’s face it; no one likes yellow teeth. It makes sense that teeth whitening is one of the most requested cosmetic dental procedures today. The evolution in technology has made teeth whitening easier, faster, more effective, and less harmful.
Nothing makes a smile great more than its sincerity. You can indeed gain all the health benefits of smiling even when it’s fake, but the real one is always better. If you would like to learn more about smiling and how it affects your health and how we can help you achieve the smile of your dreams, contact Dr. Anthony Farrow and the team at Farrow Orthodontics.
Our staff is always happy to answer questions about braces, clear braces, Invisalign, or Invisalign Teen. With two convenient offices in Philadelphia PA, we serve the entire surrounding area. If you would like to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Anthony Farrow, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Farrow Orthodontics at Center City: 215-569-9060 | Mt. Airy: 215-247-9060.