When we talk about a beautiful smile, we usually think first of aesthetic criteria, such as white teeth without stains, well aligned, smooth and soft-looking lips... Leaving aside personal criteria, the truth is that behind of a beautiful smile there is a healthy smile, since the different aspects that can make it "ugly" are caused by oral health problems, such as tartar, gingivitis or the caries.
In other articles we have dealt extensively with the most direct oral health problems. However, today we want to analyze the benefits of smiling related to psychological aspects and general health, well-being, self-esteem and personal safety: To what extent are these benefits true?
Does smiling when we are sad really help us?
One of the most frequently discussed benefits is el positive impact of smiling on our mood. Who doesn't know the phrase "Don't be sad, smile"? However, does a forced or unwilling smile have the same effect as a spontaneous one?
According to Charles Darwin, "the simulation of an emotion tends to arouse it in our minds." That is, when we smile, even if it is not spontaneous or genuine, we are stimulating our brain to feel happier and less stressed.
In fact, an experiment conducted by the University of Kansas in 2012 showed that there are psychological benefits to maintaining positive facial expressions during stressful situations, even though these expressions are involuntary —in the experiment, the participants' smiles were formed by holding sticks in their mouths in such a way as to form a Duchenne smile, a standard smile or a neutral expression—.
Other University of Tennessee study also confirms that smiling influences us to feel happier. This study, which has analyzed the combined results of 138 studies carried out since the 70s in this field, indicates that people will not be happier simply by smiling, but there are indications that "our mind and our body interact to shape our conscious experience of an emotion. Very close to what Darwin already pointed out in this regard.
As Dr. Marmolejo-Ramos indicates, in a University of South Australia study, "When your muscles say you're happy, you're more likely to see the world around you in a positive way."
So yes, smiling helps us feel happier. It is not an immediate and miraculous cure, but the positive impact of a smile on our mood is scientifically proven.
Smiling helps us to be healthy and live longer
There are also countless studies that show a direct correlation, or at least a positive impact, between smile and our health and longevity.
To begin with, when we smile, our body secretes substances such as endorphins and serotonin, which give us a feeling of well-being, while reducing stress and pain levels.
On the other hand, the act of smiling or laughing helps reduce adrenaline, cortisol and dopamine, which cause stress, and lowers blood pressure, which also improves cardiovascular health.
However, perhaps the most shocking study be the one made by Ernest Abel and Michael Kruger of Wayne State University, which showed The relationship between smile intensity in photographs and longevity. According to their conclusions, the people in the analyzed images, taken from the registry of baseball players in the USA in 1952, who did not smile lived an average of 72,9 years, those who showed a partial smile did an average of 75 years, and those who smiled completely —the Duchenne smile—, an average of 79,9 years. The study specifies that it is a matter of probability: The players who smiled in the photos probably also smiled more during the rest of their lives, with the consequent benefits on their health and well-being.
Smile for ourselves, but also for others
In addition to the benefits on our own health and well-being, smiling has effects on the people around us. Multiple studies show that the act of smiling makes others perceive us as more likeable, professionally competent, physically attractive...
For example, in a University of Pennsylvania study found that an authentic smile on the part of the person who assists us improves the customer experience, regardless of the quality of the service —although it improves significantly if the execution of the service is also satisfactory—.
En another study, Swiss researchers concluded that, the more intense the smile, the more attractive the person's face was. The investigator ron gutman He even stated that "one smile can generate the same level of brain stimulation as 2000 bars of chocolate." And with fewer harmful effects on our oral health!
Is any smile worth to be happy?
As we have already pointed out before, there are different types of smiles. The main difference is found between a fake smile and a spontaneous or natural smile, which is usually called the Duchenne smile, by the French doctor of the s. XIX who described it.
If we focus on the effect on people, it is very difficult to fake a real smile or Duchenne, even for people who "train" for it, such as actors or politicians. However, for our own well-being, as we have seen, it is beneficial to smile, even if we do not feel up to it.
On the other hand, they have been analyzed and defined 19 different types of smiles, of which only 6 really indicate happiness, while others are indicative of an emotional response of fear, deep sadness and stoicism, shame, and even feelings of superiority, among others. For example, in East Asian cultures, negative emotions are often hidden so that social harmony prevails: In Indonesia, when a person gets angry they tend to smile.
Un University of Pennsylvania study showed that people who work facing the public and who fake a smile for longer are the ones who consume more alcohol after work. A) Yes, smile and emotional health in general are something to which we must pay special attention.
Our recommendation of course is that you smile as much as possible, yes, without neglecting the underlying factors of both physical and mental health that can make you don't feel like smiling, and in this case that you attack the root of the problem, going to the appropriate medical specialist. And if you want us to help you have a more beautiful smile and take care of your oral health, count on us. Call us and we will give you an appointment with our specialists!