Smile

What is the real meaning of a smile?

A facial expression in which the eyes brighten and the corners of the mouth curve slightly upward to express amusement, pleasure, approval, or, on rare occasions, scorn.

A smile is a facial expression that is primarily formed by flexing the muscles on the sides of the mouth. A Duchenne smile is characterized by a contraction of the muscles at the corners of the eyes. A smile conveys delight, sociability, happiness, joy, or amusement in humans. It differs from a grimace, which is a similar but usually involuntary expression of anxiety. Although cross-cultural studies have shown that smiling is a universal mode of communication, there are significant differences between cultures, religions, and societies, with some people using smiles to express confusion or embarrassment.

What is the science behind smiling?

Have you ever tried squeezing a pencil between your teeth? Researchers discovered that deliberately exercising your facial muscles (zygomaticus major and orbicularis oculi) can make you feel better even when you are sad.

When you are in a pleasant situation, your brain produces endorphins or happy hormones, and neuronal signals are sent to your facial muscles, causing you to smile. As a result, when your facial muscles contract, they send a signal to the brain, stimulating our reward system and increasing the level of happy hormones.

According to statistics, more than 30% of us smile more than 20 times per day, while less than 14% of us smile less than 5 times per day. Children have the greatest superpower of smiling, as they can smile up to 400 times per day.

What are the benefits of smiling?

Many people believe that smiling is simply an involuntary reaction to things that make you happy or make you laugh. While this is correct, it overlooks an important point: smiling can be a deliberate, intentional choice.

What does psychology think about smiling? Whether your smile is genuine or not, it can have a positive effect on your body and mind, benefiting your health, mood, and even the moods of those around you.

Smiling Helps You Live Longer

Perhaps the most compelling reason to smile is that it may help you live longer. According to one study, genuine, intense smiling is associated with longer life. 

More research is needed to understand why happy people appear to have better health and longevity. According to research, happiness may increase lifespan by years, implying that maintaining a happy, positive mood may be an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Smiling Reduces Pain

Smiling has been shown in studies to release endorphins, other natural painkillers, and serotonin.  These brain chemicals, when combined, make us feel good from head to toe. They not only improve your mood, but they also relax your body and relieve physical pain. Smiling is a natural sedative.

Smiling Helps You Stay Positive

Try this exercise: smile. Now, without losing your smile, try to think of something negative. Isn't it difficult?

Even if it feels unnatural or forced, smiling can influence your feelings of positivity. Whether or not your smile is genuine, it sends the message "Life is good!" to your brain and, eventually, the rest of your body. 

Smiling Makes You Attractive

We are attracted to people who smile. While more severe or negative facial expressions such as frowns, scowls and grimaces effectively push people away, smiling is seen as more attractive—and people may even assume you have more positive personality traits if you're smiling.

Smiling not only makes you more attractive, but it also makes you look younger. The muscles used to smile lift the face and make a person appear younger. Instead of getting a facelift, try simply smiling your way through the day—you'll look younger and feel better.

Smiling May Lower Blood Pressure

Smiling may have a positive effect on your blood pressure. Laughter, in particular, appears to lower blood pressure after causing an increase in heart rate and breathing.

While smiling has been shown to lower your heart rate in stressful situations, more research is needed to determine how it lowers blood pressure.

If you have a blood pressure monitor at home, you can put this theory to the test. Take a few minutes to sit and read. After a minute of smiling, take another reading while still smiling. Is there a difference?

Smiling Boosts the Immune System

Smiling can also improve your overall health by allowing your immune system to work more efficiently. Immune function is thought to improve when you smile because you are more relaxed (thanks to the release of certain neurotransmitters). 

Smiling may help you maintain your overall health or strengthen your immune system in preparation for cold and flu season. Avoiding illness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also help you feel less stressed.

Types of smile

Humans smile for a variety of reasons. When you see your long-lost bestie in baggage claim, when you engage your coworkers during a presentation, or when you imagine your ex's lawyer tripping on the way into the courthouse, you may smile.

Smiles captivate people — all of them. We are captivated by both genuine and fake art, from the Mona Lisa to the Grinch. Hundreds of studies have been conducted on this perplexing facial expression.

01. The Duchenne smile

The Duchenne smile is also known as the genuine enjoyment smile. It's the one that involves the mouth, cheeks, and eyes all at once. It's the one where your entire face suddenly lights up.

Genuine Duchenne smiles make you appear trustworthy, genuine, and friendly. They have been shown to produce better customer service experiences and tips. They've also been linked to a longer lifespan and better relationships.

02.  Reward smiles

Many smiles result from a positive emotion, such as contentment, approval, or even happiness in the midst of sorrow. These are referred to as "reward" smiles by researchers because we use them to motivate ourselves or others.

Reward smiles contain a plethora of sensory stimuli. Mouth and cheek muscles are both activated, as are muscles in the eye and brow areas. More positive sensory input increases good feelings and leads to better behaviour reinforcement.

03.  Affiliative smiles

Smiles are also used to reassure others, be polite, and convey trustworthiness, belonging, and good intentions. Smiles like these have been dubbed "affiliation" smiles because they serve as social connectors.

According to researchers, these smiles involve the upward pull of the lips and frequently cause dimpling in the cheeks.

According to studies, affiliative smiles can also include a lip pressor, in which the lips remain closed while smiling. Keeping the teeth concealed could be interpreted as a subtle reversal of the primitive tooth-baring aggression signal.

04. Dominance smiles

People sometimes smile to convey superiority, contempt, or derision, or to make others feel less powerful. It could be described as a sneer. The mechanics of a dominance smile differ from those of a reward or affiliative smile.

A dominance smile is more likely to be asymmetrical, with one side of the mouth rising while the other side remains stationary or pulls downward.

Dominance smiles may also include a lip curl and the raising of a brow to expose more of the white part of the eye, both of which are strong signals of disgust and anger.

05. The lying smile

If you're looking for a foolproof lie detector, look elsewhere. Even the most experienced law enforcement officers, according to research, only catch liars about half of the time.

Nonetheless, studies have revealed smile patterns among people actively attempting to deceive others in high-stakes situations.

06. The wistful smile

Human emotion's sheer dexterity is astounding. So we can smile even when we are in emotional and physical pain.

The ability to smile and laugh during the grieving process, according to experts at the National Institutes of Health, protects you while you recover. Interestingly, scientists believe we may smile to protect ourselves when we are in physical pain.

Researchers observed the facial expressions of people undergoing painful procedures and discovered that when loved ones were present, they smiled more than when they were alone. They came to the conclusion that people used smiles to reassure others.

07. The polite smile

You smile politely a lot: when you first meet someone, when you're about to deliver bad news, and when you're hiding a response you think someone else won't like. The list of social situations that necessitate a pleasant expression is lengthy.

A polite smile almost always involves the zygomaticus major muscle, but not the orbicularis oculi muscle. To put it another way, your mouth smiles but your eyes do not.

Polite smiles allow us to keep a discreet distance between people. Warm smiles prompted by genuine emotion tend to draw us closer to others, but this closeness isn't always appropriate.

Diabetics and Smile

Diabetes dental treatment is not a phrase that many people are familiar with, but it is true that regular dental checkups and treating diabetes dental problems such as red, swollen, or receding gums can help with diabetes control.

If Your Teeth Could Talk, a December 2011 Wall Street Journal article, outlined how your teeth, gums, and even lips are early indicators of health issues elsewhere in your body, including diabetes and dental problems. This article addresses a topic that First Choice Dental dentists and hygienists discuss with patients on a daily basis. You are not truly healthy unless you have a healthy smile.

Diabetes affects nearly 24 million Americans each year and can lead to diabetes and dental complications. Diabetes dental problems, if left untreated, can worsen or even cause diabetes. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, you are probably aware that it can cause eye problems as well as increase the risk of kidney or heart disease. But did you know that diabetes can lead to diabetes dental problems, such as severe gum disease? These issues can also serve as early warning signs that diabetes is present or is not being properly controlled.

The most common diabetes dental problems are:

• Tooth decay
• Gum disease (periodontal disease)
• Dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction
• Mouth and gum infections and delayed healing

"When diabetes is not properly controlled, high glucose levels in saliva may help promote bacteria, causing more plaque and tartar, which will eventually create conditions that lead to chronic inflammation and infection in the mouth," explains Dr Sharkus.

Patients with diabetes who have diabetes dental problems are at a higher risk for serious gum disease because they are more susceptible to bacterial infection and have a reduced ability to fight the bacteria that invades their gums. "Simply put," he continues, "patients who do not have good blood sugar control often experience more gum disease and lose more teeth than people who have good diabetes control."

Because some oral health issues are frequently the first warning signs of uncontrolled diabetes, Sharkus recommends seeing your dentist right away if you notice any of the following symptoms:

• any changes in the way your teeth "fit" when you bite.
• permanent teeth that are loose or separating
• persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
• pus between teeth and gums
• gums that have pulled away from teeth
• red, swollen, tender gums
• gums that bleed easily

"Gum disease can be painless but serious," says Sharkus, "so it's important to pay attention to these signals and see your dentist on a regular basis." He remembers, "Our hygienist observed severe pocketing (where gums pull away from teeth and trap food and bacteria between teeth and gum tissue) in one of our patients and advised him to see his doctor. His wife called shortly after the appointment to express her gratitude; her husband had taken our hygienist's advice and gone to his doctor, where he was diagnosed with diabetes."

The most important step in preventing diabetes dental problems is to keep your blood glucose levels under control and to take good care of your teeth and gums. Regular check-ups, cleanings, and periodontal screenings are critical to maintaining your good health as you age.