Do you avoid smiling because you are embarrassed by your crooked teeth or uneven smile? One of the first things people notice about you is your smile. In fact, 96 percent of adults believe an attractive smile will make them more appealing to members of the opposite sex. The opposite is also true: adults fear that a crooked or uneven smile will make them less attractive to romantic partners, friends and coworkers. They worry this smile will distract from their otherwise great personality or attractive facial features.Worse, teeth that overlap can also appear darker than others under certain lighting conditions. Your smile sets the tone for your entire day. If you look in the mirror every morning and hate what you see, that’s a huge drain on your confidence and self esteem!
Why Your Smile Matters for Body Language Communication
Did you know that at least half of what we communicate is done through body language? Research shows that body language signals account for anywhere between 50-90% of what we communicate—and the majority of these signals come from our faces. We understand people not just by the words they use, but also through the expressions on their faces.
No matter where you travel in the world, smiling is a simple act of body language that’s universally understood. Without using words, you can convey warmth, friendship, and openness in a single smile. A smile is a friendly hello: when you smile, others smile back.
Your smile is actually contagious, too. A Swedish study found that when an individual sees someone smile, it takes a conscious effort not to smile back. You can’t help but imitate the expression you see.
How Smiling Elevates Your Mood
Smiling not only spreads joy to others but also impacts our own personal health and well-being. Psychologists are beginning to understand the value and importance of positive emotions in our minds and bodies. There’s even a psychological field of “happiness research” known as “positive psychology” that shows how happiness is linked to smiling– and vice versa.
Every time you smile, your brain throws a little “feel good” party, reports Psychology Today. Smiling activates your neural messaging system and tells your brain to release “feel-good” neurotransmitters including endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. The simple act of smiling instantly relaxes your body, lowers your heart rate, and reduces your blood pressure.
It’s Never Too Late to Change Your Smile
People make split-second judgments about whether they like someone’s appearance. If you’re unhappy with your own smile, this unhappiness will be what shines through first– not your great sense of humor or caring personality. When you do smile, you change your brain chemistry and boost your own feel-good emotions. Smiling boosts the immune system, reduces stress and relaxes the muscles, releases “feel good” endorphins, and lowers your heart rate and blood pressure. Smiling enhances other people’s perceptions of you, making both them and you happier. Plus, your smile has a contagious effect on everyone around you, improving their own well-being.
The simple act of smiling – both the giving and receiving – is important to our happiness. If you don’t feel comfortable smiling because of your teeth, you could be bringing down yourself and hurting others’ opinions of you, too. Patients at docbraces often talk about how their treatment altered their entire outlook on life because they finally felt confident in their smiles.
Transform Your Smile with Invisalign®
It’s never too late to give your smile a boost. If you are embarrassed about crooked or uneven teeth, our orthodontists can help. Many of our adult patients choose docbraces because of our smile transformation expertise.
