What's in a smile? The psychology of that big grin!

What’s in a Smile?

What does your grin actually mean and how can you look after it?

Smiles may symbolize many things to people. But the most important thing is the feeling it leaves behind afterwards. A light and cheerful aftertaste of the smile makes most people feel lifted from a bad mood or just heightens their good mood. So what exactly is the psychology of this? Technically it is just the flexing of face muscles. Humans have the ability to flex so many other muscles in their body, so why is it that this one gives us a special effect? This excerpt is the basis of why PS Dental takes so much pride and care in creating beautiful smiles.
[i]In 1989, a psychologist named Robert Zajonc published one of the most significant studies on the emotional effect of producing a smile. He asked his subjects to make two different sounds with their mouths; a long ‘e’ sound which stretches the mouth into a smile and a ‘u’ sound which makes the mouth rather pouty. Subjects felt considerably better to make the ‘e’ sound than the ‘u’ sound which provided breakthrough results that smiling really does produce feelings of happiness and cheer which impacts a person wholly.
There are many explanations for why smiling makes one feel better and one of the main reasons is smiling is a good tool to sculpt self esteem. Everyone has complexes about various areas of themselves, but a smile gives them a confidence boost, and overshadows complexes. This is one of the reasons it is so important to look after your smile carefully, since it is a tool to overcome many obstacles in life.The actual scientific explanation of why smiling helps one feel better lies with the concept of hormones being released and different body temperatures. Many scientists claim that smiles release a special hormone that reacts in the body that make the brain feel happy. Another explanation roots from the varying body temperatures produced with flexing your muscles. A cooler brain results in a happier frame of mind, and essentially, smiling produces a slight drop in temperature.[ii]Many have presented a range of evidence to demonstrate how people who smile more are not only viewed more positively but also live happier, longer lives. A study of pre-1950 major league baseball players revealed that facial expressions on baseball cards correlated to life expectancy.  Players who did not smile lived around 72 years, while those who smiled lived on average 8 years longer. This may be because smiling boosts mental and physical health by reducing stress hormones and blood pressure and increasing endorphin. Studies also show that employees who smile frequently are more likable and even viewed as more competent at work.Smiles are the usually the first impression you give someone and making it count is very important.

It is easy to distill that oral hygiene plays a huge factor in one’s well being, and it is often taken for granted and not enough importance is given to how having a beautiful smile may impact you. Overall, oral hygiene is an essential component of one’s health. Often it is mistaken that a dentists visit is only required when oral hygiene levels are at rock bottom, or there is some grave injury to the pearl whites, but contrary to this belief it is important to make regular visits as frequent as twice a year, since this may aid quick diagnosis of oncoming imperfections, or help you maintain the uphill streak your teeth may be having. PS Dental offers various packages especially catering to light monthly cleanups to performing life changing procedures with state of the art equipment.
[iii]At a recent American Heart Association research meeting, researchers shared findings that professional dental care can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. The team tracked more than 100,000 people for an average of 7 years in Taiwan. They found that those who had their teeth professionally cleaned at least once every two years were 24 percent less likely to have a heart attack and 13 percent less likely to have a stroke.
So after viewing such a large number of benefits being derived from smiling is it important to make sure that the utmost care is given to your smile, and the correct dental care is the perfect way to ensure such stability.
Looking after your smile is an essential part of one’s well being. PS Dental knows that personalized care is the most important element to catering to unique smiles. Here at PS Dental, we understand how precious this gift is and we do well to protect the beauty and purity of the smile, which in turn impacts so largely on one’s well being, so in effect producing a way to give the customer well being on a psychological level rather than just superficial beauty. So the next time you drop into PS Dental Centre for a teeth cleaning, think of it as more of a soul cleaning, which leaves you feeling light and fresh!

So, keep smiling and reap the benefits that a good smile can give you!FOR MORE DETAIL, CHECK OUT THESE REFERENCES;

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[i] http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/smiling-happy1.htm
[ii] http://www.zesty.co.uk/blog/the-psychology-of-smiling-around-the-world/
[iii] http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/03/28/dental-hygiene-important-for-whole-body-not-just-your-smile/