With the rise of the infamous selfie, the smile is under the spotlight more than ever. Cosmetic surgery, teeth whitening and teeth straightening is becoming ever more popular and it seems we may have reached peak vanity. But how important is your smile in life outside of the photo lens. Pretty important it seems, there are so many reasons you should smile and none we can think of not to!
It’s good for your health.
Even if it’s a fake, smiling has been proven to lower heart rate, temporarily lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Smiling unleashes that feel good factor. It triggers the release of endorphins that counteract stress and lift your mood to that happy floating feeling. This in turn has a positive impact on every aspect of your life from family relationships through to productivity at work. These endorphins also help to reduce pain if you are suffering at all.
Creativity
The endorphin boost can also make you more flexible when approaching problems. A 2013 study from the University of California, San Francisco explored this. When comparing positive and negative thinkers’ problem solving skills, the positives were more likely to formulate effective solutions.
Attraction.
A survey conducted for National Smile month found that only 23% of people believed that the nation had “good teeth”. Which is interesting as it also found that a good smile was considered the most attractive feature of a person second only to personality. 90 % of the people asked rated this characteristic as the most important aspect, smile coming in at 56 %, face 53% and eyes 51%.
Success.
A smile portrays success. “A smile portrays confidence and professionalism” says Lily Garcia, DDS, a previous president of the American College of Prosthodontists. A big smile portrays a positive outlook on life. And a positive outlook generally means more success. You may literally be grinning and bearing if times are hard but this shows you can cope whatever life throws at you.
A study was carried out that followed women for 30 years after college. Those that had happy smiles generally went on to live the most fulfilling lives.
So there you have it. Smiles go more than the extra mile; they are an essential part of a happy life. If you are currently unhappy with your smile speak to your dentist to see what options are available to you.
