The Benefits of Smiling

The Benefits of Smiling

Newton Centre Orthodontists cares about your smile and we know the great effects a bright and straight smile can have on your state of mind. We’ve seen it ourselves when someone who had crooked teeth gets their braces removed. You can see them smile bigger and their eyes sparkle with self-confidence. There is hard science to back up what we’ve seen too. We’ll go over a few of the effects of a great smile in this week’s blog. It’s basic to say that when you have a great smile, you are likely to smile more often, but there is more.

According to Psychology Today, a smile is beneficial on several psychological fronts. They list several benefits.

  • A smile makes you appear more attractive to others.
  • It lifts not just your mood, but also that of those around you.
  • It can extend your life, by reducing stress.
  • Smiling releases neuropeptides that are instrumental in combating stress.
  • Also released when you smile, are endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin- all feel good molecules.
  • Endorphins are natural pain killers, so smiling literally makes you feel better.
  • Serotonin is what anti-depressant pharmaceutical stop the reabsorption of,  so the more serotonin floating around in your brain the better.
  • Smiling also has benefits for those who see your smile. According to a study in Neuropsychologia, seeing a “smiling face activates your orbitofrontal cortex, the region of your brain that processes sensory rewards.

So, smiling makes you,  feel better and more happy, and makes the person seeing the smile feel great too! It’s a win-win situation. It doesn’t matter what your age is, you can benefit from improving your smile so you feel more comfortable flashing those pearly whites. If you would like to learn more about braces, contact Newton Centre orthodontics today.