Common sense tells us that we smile because we’re happy. Maybe we see a particularly fluffy dog on the internet, or our good friend tells a joke and before we know it, our lips part and we’re letting our smile shine. But could it also work the other way around?
Several studies conducted on smiling, including one reported in Scientific American, find that there is evidence to believe that smiling more can actually make you happier. Psychologists at the University of Cardiff in Wales studying botox injections, found that patients whose ability to frown was compromised by the procedure, actually reported themselves to be happier, suggesting that the emotions we feel aren’t only congregated in the brain, but other parts of the body, as well.
If smiling can make you happier, what else can it do?
Smiling More Can Improve Your Career
Not only can smiling make you happier, but it can also make you look and feel more confident, especially if you feel good about your smile. Flashing a smile during an interview or even around the office, can also help to create a stronger connection between you and others. Often others want to surround themselves with happy, engaging people because they want to feel that way too.
Smiling Can Reduce Stress
A study published in Psychological Science exploring the adage, “grin and bear it,” found evidence suggesting that holding a smile during times of stress can make you feel calmer. Participants were asked to hold chopsticks between their teeth, creating a smile-like expression, while performing a series of stressful tasks. What they found was that those who smiled had a lower heart rate than non-smiling participants.
Smiling Can Make Vaccines More Effective
If you really want your flu vaccine to be more effective, try doing it when you’re in a good mood. A recent study from the University of Nottingham suggests that vaccines are more effective if people are happy when they get their shot.
The study is preliminary, but so far it seems like it’s another instance where being happy means being healthy.
Is Your Smile Holding Your Back?
It seems likely that smiling not only feels great but is great. However, if you’re like many Americans, your teeth might be holding your back. If your smile has an excessive amount of stains, chipped or crooked teeth or even missing teeth, you might feel too embarrassed to smile as much as you should. If that’s the case, then cosmetic dentistry can help.
Cosmetic dentistry is a form of elective dentistry that can help to fix aesthetic imperfections in your smile. If your teeth have become stained over time from too much wine, soda, or cigarettes, then professional teeth whitening is an excellent solution.
If you’re struggling with crooked teeth and don’t have the time for braces, Invisalign can correct your smile in as little as six months. Even teeth that have gone missing can be replaced with dental bridges or dental implants.
You shouldn’t miss out on the benefits of smiling. Don’t let embarrassment hold you back.
You may have thought the smile of your dreams was just that—a dream, but it can become a reality. If you’re ready to learn how we can transform your smile, please call (858) 271-1010 today for an appointment with Scripps Ranch cosmetic dentist Dr. Ramin Goshtasbi at Oasis Dental Arts.