How does smiling benefit us psychologically?

When we talk about a beautiful smile, we usually think first of all of aesthetic criteria, such as white teeth without stains, well aligned, smooth and soft lips…. Leaving aside personal criteria, the truth is that behind a beautiful smile there is a healthy smile, since the different aspects that can “disfigure” it are caused by oral health problems, such as tartar, gingivitis or caries.

In other articles we have dealt extensively with the more direct oral health problems. However, today we want to analyze the benefits of smiling related to psychological and general health, well-being, self-esteem and security of people: To what extent are these benefits true?

Does smiling when we are sad really help us?

One of the most frequently mentioned benefits is the positive impact of smiling on our mood. Who hasn’t heard the phrase “Don’t be sad, smile”? However, does a forced or unintentional 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”. In other words, 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 if these expressions are involuntary – in the experiment, participants’ smiles were formed by holding up sticks with their mouths in a way that formed a Duchenne smile, a standard smile or a neutral expression.

Another study from the University of Tennessee also corroborates that smiling influences us to feel happier. This study, which has analyzed the combined results of 138 studies carried out since the 1970s in this field, indicates that people will not be happier simply by smiling, but there are indications that “our mind and 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 points out, in a study from the University of South Australia, “when your muscles say you are happy, you are more likely to see the world around you in a positive way.”

So yes, smiling helps us feel happier. It’s not an immediate miracle 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 smiling 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.

Moreover, smiling or laughing helps reduce adrenaline, cortisol and dopamine, which cause stress, and lowers blood pressure, so it also improves cardiovascular health.

However, perhaps the most striking study is the one conducted by Ernest Abel and Michael Kruger, from Wayne State University, which showed the relationship between the intensity of the smile in photographs and longevity. According to their conclusions, the people in the analyzed images, taken from the 1952 baseball players’ registry in the USA, who did not smile lived an average of 72.9 years, those who showed a partial smile lived an average of 75 years, and those who smiled completely – the Duchenne smile – lived an average of 79.9 years. The study specifies that it is a matter of probability: Players who smiled in the photos were also likely to smile more during the rest of their lives, with 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 smiling makes others perceive us as more likeable, professionally competent, physically attractive…

For example, a study by the University of Pennsylvania found that a genuine smile on the part of the service person improves the customer experience, regardless of the quality of the service – although it improves significantly if the execution of the service is also satisfactory.

In another study, Swiss researchers concluded that the more intense the smile, the more attractive the person’s face. Researcher Ron Gutman even stated that “a smile can generate the same level of brain stimulation as 2000 chocolate bars”. And with less detrimental effects on our oral health!

Is any smile worth being happy?

As we have already pointed out, there are different types of smiles. The main difference is between a fake smile and a spontaneous or natural smile, which is often called the Duchenne smile, after the 19th century French physician who described it.

If we focus on the effect on people, it is very difficult to fake a genuine or Duchenne smile, even for people who “train” for it, like 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, up to 19 different types of smiles have been analyzed and defined, of which only 6 actually indicate happiness, while others are indicative of an emotional response of fear, deep sadness and stoicism, embarrassment, and even feelings of superiority, among others. For example, in East Asian cultures, negative emotions are often hidden so that social harmony can prevail: In Indonesia, when a person is angry, he or she tends to smile.

A study by the University of Pennsylvania showed that people who work in front of the public and who fake a smile for the longest time are the ones who consume the most alcohol after work. Thus, smiling and emotional health in general are something we should pay special attention to.

Our recommendation of course is that you smile as much as possible, without neglecting the underlying physical and mental health factors that can make you not feel like smiling, and in this case that you attack the root of the problem, going to the right medical specialist. And if you want us to help you have a more beautiful smile and take care of your oral health, call us and we will give you an appointment with our specialists!