Your smile helps you communicate with others, but did you know it supports your psychological wellbeing too? Although all those 32 teeth in your mouth might not seem important outside of properly chewing your food and enhancing your appearance, they have a bigger impact on both yourself and others than you might think. Let’s take a closer look at why your smile is so important!
Smiling Releases Endorphins
Smiling can show others that we’re happy, but it also releases endorphins [1]. Endorphins are compounds that your body releases to help you deal with stress or pain, but they’re also responsible for the feel-good emotions we experience. In other words, endorphins are essential for supporting positive emotions and wellbeing.
Research has shown that even faking a smile can release endorphins in the body, helping you feel happier. A smile can also signal a feeling of pride or accomplishment, or, of course, amusement [2]!
Your Smile Can Have a Positive Impact on Your Wellbeing
It’s no secret that people who are happier with their smile tend to smile more. People who feel embarrassed about their smile may force themselves not to smile or laugh in front of others, or try to hide their smile when doing so.
Research shows that people who perceive their smile as more attractive tend to have more positive behaviors and higher self-confidence than people who are unhappy with the way their smile looks [3]. This demonstrates just how important it can be to feel confident about your smile’s appearance!
Other People Are Affected by Your Smile, Too!
Smiling also plays a significant role in our social life, such as how others perceive our appearance and personality [4]. Research has shown that when people perceive another person’s smile as attractive, they also perceive that person to be more successful, intelligent, and friendly. Your smile is also an important feature when meeting new people and making first impressions.
Not only can a smile communicate happiness, but it can also show others that we’re friendly and welcoming [5]. A smile clearly communicates much more than we give it credit for!
Are You Happy With Your Smile?
If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your smile, it could be affecting more than just your perception of yourself. Your smile can affect your psychological wellbeing and influence how others perceive you. If you’re unhappy with your smile, remember that there are always options to improve it so you can be confident when smiling!
Sources:
1. https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/famelab-whats-science-behind-smile
2. https://psychcentral.com/blog/whats-in-a-smile#1
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3792334/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17532913/
5. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323025
