There are numerous studies that show the simple act of smiling can positively influence your health, your stress levels, and your general outlook on life. Even when you force a smile, it can cause others to smile as well, lightening the atmosphere and improving the moods of those around you. However, the human smile does more than show pleasure; it can send all sorts of subliminal signals that are often useful to us. Brighton family dentist, Dr. Thomas Villani, explains a couple of the lesser-known benefits of smiling.
What Does Your Smile Say?
Trust Me
Cooperation is an anomalous trait in nature. Typically, animals that focus on survival have a better chance of it, but in the unique society of humanity, cooperation is often an important survival tool. While smiling can be faked, a study involving smiling and trust suggests that participants were more willing to play a betting game with strangers who were smiling the first time they saw them. If you’d like to send the signal that you can be trusted, try smiling more often.
Take it Easy on Me
You may not be inclined to show leniency towards someone who has wronged you if they are smiling when caught, but according to some researchers, leniency can be a benefit of smiling. To test the effectiveness of smiling for leniency, the experts had subjects judge a case of possible academic misconduct by reviewing supposed evidence. The materials included one of a series of photos depicting a young woman with various expressions, such as neutral, genuine smile, false smile, and a miserable smile. The smiling targets were deemed more deserving of leniency, although it should be noted that they were not perceived as any less guilty.
Pamper Your Smile
The more you smile, the more you can take advantage of smiling’s myriad benefits. If damage, disease, or a cosmetic blemish mars the beauty of your smile and your confidence in it, contact our dental office in Brighton. You can schedule a dental consultation with Dr. Villani by calling Brighton Family Dental Group at (617) 562-5210. We proudly serve patients from Watertown, Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, Brighton, and the 02135 area.
