Next month is National Smile Month, and we thought it would be an excellent time to honor our extraordinarily talented and caring team of dentists with a big shout out for all that they do at our Woodlands dental offices. We also wanted to take a moment and honor you and your oral health by showing you how important it is to smile.
The Proof is in the Research
For years, there has been research circulating the dental and medical world, talking about the benefits of smiling. Still, recently there have been more findings courtesy of a team at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) published in Psychology Today.
One of the biggest takeaways from the new findings is that it’s proven that smiling can make you look younger. The researchers at UKMC found that college students thought older adults that donned happy smiles looked more youthful than their actual age. People who walked around with frowns on their faces were often perceived as looking older. All things considered, it might make more sense for someone trying to look younger to invest in dentistry instead of a costly cosmetic enhancement.
A young UMKC psychology student also conducted some relevant smile research, flashing sad faces on a screen in front of test subjects. They found that when a person looked sad, the test subjects perceived them as looking heavier in weight compared to a person flashed on the screen who was smiley and happy.
Who knew that flashing a big, bright smile at the world every day makes you appear younger and skinnier?
Can You Spot a Fake Smile?
In doing some research on our own for this blog, we found this cool survey that you might want to try. In learning more about smile science, we realized that there are many studies where forced and authentic smiles were compared to one another. But is it really that easy to tell when someone is faking a smile? We learned that smiles that are perceived as being real or more genuine are called Duchenne smiles or smiles that use the muscles around your eyes.
Do you think you have what it takes to spot a fake smile? Go here and see how well you do!
Thank You for All You Do
Because it’s National Smile Month and we care about your teeth, we wanted to remind you about the importance of brushing your teeth and flossing at home. We also all know how vital it is to see your dentist every six months for a cleaning and a checkup as a preventive way to keep you and your smile healthy. If you have any questions about an upcoming appointment, contact your Woodlands dentist either online or by phone. They’ll be happy to help and answer your questions.
Finally, from all of us at The Woodlands Dental Group – KEEP SMILING!
(Thank you to our dentists for all you do for patients and their smiles!)
Dr. Leslie Blackburn (Pediatric Dentistry) – Growing Great Grins
Dr. Robert Dernick (General, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry) and TMJ – Robert G. Dernick, DDS
Dr. David Epstein (General, Cosmetic Dentistry, and Sleep Apnea) – Epstein & Vakil General & Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Mike Freeman (General, Cosmetic, Implant, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ) – Dr. Mike Freeman Cosmetic & Family Dentistry
Dr. Alisa Reed (General, Cosmetic, Implant, Laser, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ) – Dental Designs by Alisa Reed
Dr. Wade Williams (Orthodontics) – Wade Williams, DDS, MS
Dr. Nikita Vakil ( General, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry) – Epstein & Vakil General & Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Michelle Boeker (General, Cosmetic, Implant, Laser, Sleep Apnea, and TMJ) – Dental Designs by Alisa Reed