How to Change the World

Unpacking Truth

….and make yourself happier in the process.

As a dentist I am blessed with the experience of seeing what an improvement to someone’s smile can do to a patient’s overall demeanor. This type of dental treatment can range from repairing a simple chipped tooth that resulted from biting something too hard, to the replacement of a tooth after a fall, to a complete makeover of the smile. Repairing, replacing or enhancing one’s smile can be an incredibly moving encounter, both the patient and I can share tears of joy when he/she regains the confidence to smile again. Typically when people are embarrassed by their smile they don’t smile, they don’t make eye contact and they walk with their head down which can lead to poor overall posture and low self esteem.

A study was done in 1989 to determine the value of someone’s front tooth. The subjects were asked how much they would have to be paid to painlessly remove their perfectly healthy front tooth. The average respondent requested $309,000 (adjusted for inflation this would be close to $800k today). There were respondents, about 15% of them who wanted over a million dollars ($2.5 million dollars today). A whopping 42% of respondents said no amount could be paid to them to remove a healthy tooth…this is the category I think I would find myself!

Why is our smile and the simple act of smiling so important? There are both physical and mental benefits to the grin on your face. Knowing more about how this simple act can improve your overall health may have you exercising this practice more frequently and this consequently could benefit those around you. Think of it like a ripple effect of happiness…you smile at your neighbors, they pass that smile along to the people at work and the next thing you know, the whole world is smiling! I believe we all could use a little bit of that right now??!!

We have 43 muscles in our face that allow us to express ourselves. There is no simple answer to the myth that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile since we engage these amazing muscles differently based on how we want to express ourselves. I find it fascinating that more than 5% of the muscles in our body are designated for facial expression and the simple act of non-verbal communication. What you do with these muscles can impact everything from making you look younger and thinner, to improving your mood and helping you to live longer. Read on and learn the powerful impact of a simple smile!

Looking Younger

As we age the loss of collagen and gravity start to pull our facial features down, giving way to sagging cheeks, eyes and jaws that lead many to pursue plastic surgery to lift and tighten. When we smile, we engage muscles that naturally lift and tighten the face. A study at UKMC found that when college students were asked the age of faces flashed on a screen, they perceived older people who were smiling to be younger than they actually were.

Appear Thinner

In the same study from UKMC, when sad faces were randomized and flashed on the computer screen, those faces were perceived as heftier and the smiling images were seen as thinner. This perception may be a personal assessment that a face with a frown is weighed down by unhappiness.

Live Longer

There are some studies that suggests those who smile more and enthusiastically actually live longer. One research paper evaluated (230) baseball cards of Major League Baseball players from 1952. They found that those who did not smile lived to the average age of 72. Those with a partial smile lived to the average age of 73 and those with a enthusiastic grin lived to an average age of 80. Much more research needs to be done to replicate and indicate why this might be so. Scientist speculate the list of neurotransmitters our body releases when experiencing joy and happiness contribute to a host of downstream health benefits that could help us to live longer.

Reduces Stress and Elevates our Mood

Stress is a complex experience and a multifaced approach to reducing our daily stresses is an important practice. Eating healthy, exercising, getting outside, being with others, meditation and prayer have all been suggested as ways to improver our overall wellbeing. But, did you know that by simply putting a smile on your face, you could begin the process of reducing your stress and lifting your mood. This is accomplished by anti-stress chemicals released (dopamine and serotonin). These two hormones work by traveling throughout the body to lower heart rate and blood pressure which can ease stress and anxious feelings.

In one study they found that smiling induced more pleasure in the brain than chocolate. As a certified chocoholic, I question these findings! Alas, across the pond, “British researchers found that one smile can generate the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 bars of chocolate.”

Boost Your Immune System

When we are smiling and happy our bodies release neurotransmitters that help to boost the immune system. Dopamine works to activate the immune system by increasing the number of antibodies and natural killers cells circulating in the blood. As we prepare for the next cold and Flu season, try smiling more. Staying healthy is a great way to help reduce our stress and continue to promote feeling happy.

Reduces Pain

Smiling has been called nature’s drug. When we smile our body releases endorphins and other natural painkillers that can help to reduce the discomfort we are feeling, emotionally or physically.

Smiles Lead to Success

We are generally attracted to people who smile! Frowning and scowling work in the opposite manner to drive others away and make us less approachable. When we put on our happy face, others perceive us as more attractive and fun to be around. This attractiveness also gives the impression of confidence. People who smile more are more likely to get promoted and be successful.

And finally….SMILING IS CONTAGIOUS

One of the things I love to do when I am shopping at the grocery store or running on the trails is to smile and say ‘hi’ to others as I pass by them. This has been a less fruitful task recently because everyone is walking around with AirPods or other listening contraptions. Nevertheless, I make eye contact, say good morning/day and flash a smile. I find this activity the most rewarding when I am feeling down myself. There is something magical about lifting the spirits of others and I can attest to experiencing most of what I have researched to write this newsletter (all but the chocolate part!!).

Give it a try, share a smile and send some love to those around you. You may brighten someone’s day and make them feel worthwhile. Selfishly you will benefit too. If you’re not happy with your smile, see your dentist. There are many things we can do to improve your smile and it doesn’t have to break your bank. Simple whitening, smoothing of rough edges, fixing discolored fillings, straightening your teeth can all have a huge impact on your personal feelings about your smile and how it is portrayed to others.