The human smile is beautiful, especially when you’ve got a healthy mouth full of clean pearly whites and while many view smiling as just an involuntary response to things that bring happiness or laughter, research indicates otherwise.
Smiling can affect the body and mind positively in a number of ways – which is a great reason to visit a smile dentist in Donvale regularly! Moreover, when you smile, you come across as courteous, likeable and competent.
Here’s a look at how smiling affects health.
Health benefits of smiling (a few of them):
Strengthens your immune system
Laughter, which typically begins with a smile, increases the production of anti-infection antibodies and T-cells in the blood. This improves illness resistance.
Experts also believe that immune function gets a boost due to the relaxation that usually accompanies smiling. Relaxation triggers the release of beneficial neurotransmitters.
Relieves pain
Studies have shown that smiling releases serotonin, endorphins and other natural painkillers. These important brain chemicals work together to reduce pain, amongst other things.
In one Emotion study, needle injection pain was analysed. Researchers found that participants who had a smile while getting jabbed experienced about half as much pain as those who didn’t.
Improves your mood
Feeling down? A smile can elevate your mood and activate positive thoughts. This occurs through the release of neuropeptides and the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.
The act of smiling stimulates brain pathways that influence emotional state. This makes it possible to trick your mind into entering a happy state by simply assuming the facial expression.
Alleviates stress
Stress relief is another benefit of smiling and laughter. The best part is that the smile doesn’t even need to be genuine for you to start feeling less tense and anxious.
Researchers have also found that a fake smile, can be just as effective at reducing stress as a real one. This is worth noting since a lot of illnesses and medical problems are associated with stress.
Get the perfect smile
As demonstrated, smiling affects health in a positive way and can do wonders for your overall wellbeing. That being said, people are less likely to smile when embarrassed of their teeth.
For an affordable Donvale dentist that can help you achieve a brilliant smile, contact Holistic Dental Donvale today. Our dental health specialists can handle all your dental care needs.
