5 Scientific Reasons to Smile!
What is the first thing you notice about a person when meeting them for the first time? Thirty seven percent of Americans say they notice a person’s smile before anything else. While your smile should help you put your best foot forward, discolored, missing, or damaged teeth can often lead to a hesitancy to laugh or smile. At Island Tower Dentistry, we want to help you feel like the best version of yourself! Cosmetic Dental Treatments such as dental implants and cosmetic dentures have helped many patients feel more confident about smiling, and to do it more often! Here are some of the benefits you could miss out on by not smiling…
1. Improved Mood
Did you know that the act of smiling triggers the brain to release “happy hormones” such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins? You could say that smiling has a domino effect, so the more you smile, the happier you actually feel. Studies show that even when you’re not happy, the act of smiling still triggers your brain into releasing these mood-boosting hormones. Laughing and smiling have also been found to aid in people’s coping strategies during tough situations, giving them the tools to cope more effectively and hang on to positive thoughts during future challenging times. A happy mind, a happy heart, and a healthy body starts with a smile!
2. Lowered Blood Pressure
These “happy hormones” released when you smile or laugh don’t just make you happier, they can also lower your blood pressure. Stress can influence high blood pressure due to the increased surge of the stress hormone, cortisol. Laughing can prompt healthy circulation leading to muscle relaxation, therefore relieving physical symptoms of stress. Laughing creates a healthy spike in heart rate, right before a period of muscle relaxation that can result in lowered blood pressure. By giving cells more oxygen from the increased intake of breath, laughing also aids in heart health.
3. Pain Relief
Smiling and laughing also serve as a natural source of pain relief. These actions trigger the brain to release endorphins, which latch onto opiate receptors to ease the body’s physical response to pain. In addition to the cosmetic benefits that dentures or dental implants can solve, overall physical comfort can be improved as well. Chipped, crooked, or crowded teeth can often lead to painful chewing and a general sense of discomfort that can cause stress and anxiety around everyday tasks.
4. Immune System Support
The dynamic duo of laughing and smiling boosts your immune system by creating positive thoughts that cause the brain to release more “happy hormones” (in this case, serotonin). Laughing stimulates organs such as your lungs, heart, and surrounding muscles. Even though it doesn’t feel like stress, the act of laughing revs up your short-term physiological stress response, followed by the innate reaction to cool everything down, resulting in a relaxed feeling that increases your body’s ability to fight infection. Studies have shown that the combination of smiling, laughing, and positive thoughts trigger the brain to release neuroreceptors that fight off illness. Conversely, negative thoughts and the act of frowning hinders the body’s ability to fight off illness and combat stress.
5. Strengthen Relationships
People who smile often are scientifically proven to be more likable, therefore allowing relationships to be created and maintained more easily. Have you ever smiled back at a stranger who smiled at you? Smiling is contagious- it creates a ripple effect that strengthens relationships. This is because people are generally attracted to positive energies and people who make them happy. The simple act of smiling at your friends and loved ones more often can help strengthen those relationships greatly over time!
If the appearance of your teeth or gums is causing you to smile less often, and you want to learn more about dental implants, cosmetic dentures, or even a full smile makeover, the cosmetic dental team at Island Tower Dentistry is here to help! Contact us today at 239-394-1004 to make an appointment and learn more about how the Island Tower team works to keep people smiling confidently.