A smile is something that each and every one of us is born with. The smiling face of a loved one can be one of the most heartwarming expressions to see, and the innocent smile of a young child can warm the heart of anyone. But there’s a whole lot more to smiles than young children and cute babies. Here are six interesting facts about everyday smiles.
Smile Fact 1 – Smiling Is Contagious
You ever noticed that whenever someone smiles, you start smiling yourself? Well, there’s science behind why that happens. Researchers have discovered that neurons in our brains have a synchronizing property, so if the person you’re talking to smiles, you’ll likely smile, too!
We’re smiling at you. Are you smiling back?
Smile Fact 2 – Babies Can Smile from Birth
Babies can smile as soon as they’re born. It is believed this is a survival instinct dating back to prehistoric mankind: a baby was more appealing if it smiled, and therefore more likely to be taken care of and protected by the group.
Smile Fact 3 – It’s Actually Harder to Smile Than to Frown
Remember than old adage that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile? Well, it turns out that might not to be the case, after all.
Some researchers have found that humans use 12 facial muscles to smile and only 11 to frown, so it’s actually harder to smile than to frown. Don’t let that stop you from smiling, though, because smiling can actually be healthier for you than frowning …
Smile Fact 4 – Want to be Healthier? Smile More!
Smiling can positively affect your health, lowering your heart rate, reducing stress, improving your mood and increasing productivity. Smiling causes your body to release endorphins, which are good for your overall health.
Smile Fact 5 – There Are as Many As 19 Different Types of Smiles
Who knew we had so many options when we smiled? A researcher at UC-San Francisco studies smiles and came up with 19 types of smiles. Among the types of smiles we have are the fake smile, the uncomfortable smile, the sarcastic smile, the amused smile and the thoughtful smile.
Smile Fact 6 – The Telltale Sign of a Genuine Smile is in the Eyes
So, what’s the difference between a real smile and a fake smile? It’s all in the eyes.
A genuine smile causes the cheek muscles to contract, pulling the corners of the eyes down. A fake smile doesn’t trigger the same contractions in the cheek muscles, so the eyes don’t change as much.
Fake smiles are pretty easy to detect and that’s why.
So, it seems that smiling is pretty important to our lives, well-being and social interactions. Orion Dental offers a full range of dental services for the whole family, helping you take care of your teeth and have the healthiest, brightest smile possible. If you’re looking for a dentist in Milton or Scarborough, give us a call, book an appointment and let’s get started today!
P.S. It’s not too late to get those other dental treatments you’ve been thinking about before the holidays … call and book an appointment now!