7 Reasons to Smile More Often

Okemos, Lansing, East Lansing MI

Let’s say it together: Smiling is good for your health! No, really. Research strongly supports this and provides us with several advantages that smiling can provide us. Let’s take a look at the top seven, as compiled by Okemos’ award-winning dentist Dr. Christine Tenaglia and the team at Tenaglia Smiles.

1. 1. Smiling lowers stress

Darwin’s Facial Feedback Response Theory proposed that simply making a given facial expression voluntarily can trigger the corresponding emotions. Put simply, just making the choice to smile can directly impact your mood. Scientific studies have also concluded that fake smiles can set off a wave of physiological processes in the brain that elevate one’s mood and reduce stress. So, the next time you’re feeling stress, try cracking a smile. Your body is likely to not decipher fake from genuine, and respond as if it’s genuine. It can only help!

1. 1. 2. Smiling improves immune function

Emotions and immune systems are forever intertwined. When we’re experiencing anxiety and stress, overall health will reflect this. Conversely, lower stress allows our bodies to relax and our immune system functions more effectively. Since smiling relieves stress to begin with, a positive chain reaction follows!

1. 1. 3. Smiling makes you more productive

Studies suggest that happier folks get more stuff done. A study performed by the Warwick Business School supports the theory. Participants were given a series of tasks to perform. Prior to starting the tasks, they were shown a 10-minute comedy film. Those that were amused by the film and reported a higher level of happiness from it, proved to be 12% more productive in the succeeding tasks than the participants reporting lower happiness levels prior to starting the exercises.

1. 1. 4. Smiling improves blood pressure

Smiling and laughing are known to decrease heart and respiratory rates, which in turn lowers our blood pressure. Better modulated blood pressure reflects lower stress and better overall health.

1. 1. 5. Smiling reduces pain

A study performed by the American Psychological Association delved into the impact smiling can have on pain tolerance. Participants were split into groups and administered a vaccine-like injection – something widely associated with stress and pain – and then assigned an array of expressions to keep during that process. Groups assigned the Duchenne smile and grimace reported nearly 40% less pain during the injection than those assigned more neutral facial expressions. What’s more, the Duchenne smile group also reported a significantly lower heart rate. These results suggest that smiling not only can reduce the body’s perception of pain, but can also help the body to better respond to the level it does perceive. Yet another reason to flash those pearly whites!

1. 1. 6. The mirror effect

Ever heard someone say that smiling is contagious? The old adage holds more truth than you may think. Human beings are biologically hardwired to “mirror” the facial expressions of people we interact with. It is our instinctive way of identifying the person’s expression, their corresponding emotion, and determining if said emotion is, in fact, genuine. For example, when our instincts observe and determine that a person’s smile indicates genuine happiness, it encourages us to mirror that facial expression.

1. 1. 7. Smiling can lengthen your life

One study conducted in 2009 examined the photographed demeanor of baseball players, based on the smiling intensity on their baseball cards. The results of the study reflected that the players with full smiles lived an average of 7 years longer than the players with neutral or non-smiling expressions. Of course, there are multiple other factors likely at work in this instance. However, science already points to there being direct links between happiness and sustained positive health.

Modern Cosmetic Dentistry in Okemos, Lansing, East Lansing MI

While we know that smiling is a great gateway to health and well-being, our level of dental health can influence our willingness to flash that smile in our day-to-day lives. So can any aesthetic issues with your smile. Using cutting-edge technology and materials, Dr. Christine Tenaglia offers a comprehensive program of cosmetic dentistry. Our team of oral health professionals can help you achieve the great-looking smile you always wanted.

To learn more about our cosmetic dental procedures and smile makeovers, schedule a consultation today by calling (517) 347-6733.