Are there Benefits to a Beautiful Smile?

Can a pretty smile mean a happier, healthier life? Many researchers say yes!

“Smiling can actually change the brain, triggering you to feel happy simply because you are smiling,” says Dr. Nima , an Alpharetta orthodontist. “Smiling leads to a decrease in stress-induced hormones, making us feel more relaxed and confident.”

If you hide your smile, you might just be negatively impacting your health and well-being. According to researchers, a smile can have a transformative effect and can actually improve your life. So how powerful is a smile? It can:

1. Lower your heart rate. If you find yourself feeling anxious, smiling can return your heart rate to a normal level.
2. Give you a natural high. Smiling releases endorphins, which can make you feel more positive.
3. Make you more approachable. Studies show that others list a smile as the number one sign of approachability and friendliness.
4. Boost your immune system. Smiling can increase your white blood cell count, which can help your body fight off illness.
5. Be more successful. One study showed that 96% of the people in the study equated a healthy smile with increased confidence, personal and professional success.
6. Increase your overall health. A healthy smile can keep your body health. Broken and damaged teeth can cause pain that can lead to infection and poor nutrition. Gum disease is linked to a host of serious conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and pre-term birth.

So what can you do to smile with confidence?

“If you have crooked or crowded teeth, or a misaligned bite, it’s never too late to consider orthodontics,” says Dr. Nima. “When you are proud of your smile, you’ll want to show it off more, and that will improve your life.”

For those worried that braces may only draw more attention to a problem they’ve tried to hide, there is good news – there are now more options for straightening your teeth than ever before.

• Traditional metal braces are sleeker and lower profile than ever before. Metal braces are still the most commonly used, primarily because they are the most predictable and affordable.
• Ceramic braces offer the effectiveness of metal braces, but with the benefit of blending in with your smile better.
• Lingual braces allow patients to straighten their teeth without others noticing, because the brackets and wires attach to the tongue side of the teeth. They are also a great option for athletes, musicians, and professionals.
• Invisalign allows patients to straighten their teeth through a series of clear, removable and comfortable plastic aligners. They make treatment virtually invisible to the eye, and because they are removable, you don’t have to alter your diet or oral hygiene habits.

If you want to make improvements in your life and health, a great place to start is your smile. And you won’t be alone – one in five orthodontic patients today is an adult. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Nima today, and learn more about the power a healthy and beautiful smile can have on your life.