Remember that commercial from years ago, the one in which a young guy is visibly enamored of a beautiful young woman—until she opens her mouth to smile and her teeth look terrible?

No doubt about it, a beautiful smile is the best fashion statement anyone, male or female, can possibly make! You can be wearing your grungiest “clean out the basement and haul the trash away” clothes. Your hair can be a windblown mess. But if you’ve got a great smile, you don’t need to feel embarrassed when you run into someone you’d really like to impress when you’re on your way to the city dump!

Our smiles are the first things others notice about us. This is equally true if you are meeting someone for the first time or getting together with an old friend for dinner. A smile that shows crooked, uneven or missing teeth presents an unflattering and untrue impression to others. You are the beautiful person behind that smile, but your smile needs to be as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside.

So if crooked, uneven or damages teeth are getting in the way of your having a gorgeous smile, schedule a dental consultation today and start changing that right away!

People sometimes wonder if having a great smile is really such a big deal.  Research done in non-dental fields such as psychology reveal the importance of a confident smile.

People are social creatures that depend on interrelations with each other.  Dale Carnegie discussed relevance of smiling nearly seventy years ago in his famous books, “How to Win Friends and Influence People”.  His first chapter discussed using a smile to create a positive first impression and even referred to it as the big secret of dealing with people.  The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and the University of Oxford did a study that supported the fact that smiles can make strangers cooperate in one short interaction.  Smiles have been proven to win friends and influence people.

Additional research over the years shows that smiling makes us appear more cooperative and pleasant, thus making us more attractive to other people.   Hietanen and Surakka did research in 1997 that showed a smile could induce a feeling of pleasure.  Their research showed that even a smile in a photo could induce pleasurable feelings if the smile seemed genuine.

A ready smile makes you and others feel better.  A great smile can even help you to be more attractive to others personally and professionally.  A super smile really is a big deal!

The state of your teeth may influence your success levels, claims new research from King’s College London.

The study showed that volunteers rated people with visible tooth decay or crowded teeth to be less clever, less popular and less well- adjusted.People with whitened teeth were rated as more attractive and successful.

Professor Tim Newton, who led the study, digitally amended smiles to show caries and asked volunteers to grade the images in terms of intelligence, attractiveness, popularity and career success.
He said: ‘Smiles with caries were downgraded, but volunteers didn’t identify the caries as the reason behind it. It was a subconscious decision.’

‘The difference in grading was more marked when the images were of women, suggesting that women are judged more strongly than men on their looks.

The study also showed that people’s expectations on what makes a beautiful smile have changed, to reflect the popular ‘Hollywood smile’.

Professor Newton said: ‘We are generally hit by whatever America does first and idealistic images mean that people today associate
perfectly straight, whitened teeth with beauty.

In addition, the research revealed that when people had been looking at images of attractive smiles, they were less likely to be satisfied with their own teeth.

Professor Newton said: ‘Idealistic images create a demand by making you feel uncomfortable with yourself. People feel less attractive after seeing them.’

It would be interesting, he added, to use a future study to discover how this subconscious smile bias influences our judgement.

‘If you had two identical CVs, but one person had a more attractive smile, would it affect who you gave the job to?’
Previous studies have shown than children perceived to be more attractive gain better marks and are given more attention in school.

Good-looking people are also less likely to be convicted in court and are half as likely to go to prison if convicted.

Smiles have an important role in human communication. They generally create positive impressions in social interaction. How does smile intensity affect the perception of facial attributes such as attractive, lively, altruistic, beautiful, or powerful impressions? Also, does dynamic presentation of smile have different effects from that of static presentation? We investigated perceptual changes of each facial attribute in dynamic and static presentation as a function of peak smile intensity controlled by morphing. The models were eight Japanese. The levels of peak smile intensity were selected from 0%, 30%, 60%, 90%, and 120%. The intensity of 0% corresponded to the neutral, while the intensity of 120% corresponded to the smile caricature. The patterns with one of the peak smile intensities were displayed statically, or presented after the static neutral faces sequentially. In the dynamic condition, the patterns were transformed continuously from neutral to the peak smile intensity. The total duration was 1033 ms in all conditions. The results indicate that the smile intensities and the presentation conditions affect the perception of each facial attribute differently. However, the overall rating scores of those attributes increased almost linearly up to 90%, but there was no large difference between 90% and 120% of smile intensity.

These web-based abstracts are provided for ease of seaching and access, but certain aspects (such as as mathematics) may not appear in their optimum form.

by H Ishi, J Gyoba, M Kamachi

Unfortunately, there may be times that smiling can be difficult - when it might not be easy and might feel virtually impossible.  Sometimes we get so caught up in the bad things that we forget that smiling is actuallly an option.  Maybe your boss inappropriately yelled at you…maybe you had a fight with a loved one…maybe you lost a loved one…or maybe you just feel mildly depressed for the day.  Whatever the case may be, there are always times when smiling just doesn’t fit your mood.

Even though you may very well have reasons not to smile, here are a few reasons to push through…focus on the positive…and yes, smile:

1. It makes you Feel Better: Don’t write this one off.  Really.  I know it sounds ridiculously idealistic and corny, but it is true.  Next time you feel down or blue, smile.  Just smile as big as you can.  You might feel ridiculous forcing a huge grin when deep down all you want to do is sob your heart out, but if you do it, and you concentrate on it, you actually do feel better.  Believe it or not, there is research behind this.  There is a theory called ‘facial feedback’ hypothesis.  It states that “involuntary facial movements provide sufficient peripheral information to drive emotional experience” implying that you may actually improve your mood by smiling.

2. It is contagious: Ever notice if you smile at someone, they smile back?  If you don’t smile at someone or don’t have any real facial expression for that matter, you pretty much get a mirror image back.  Smiling is a proactive behavior, or action, which solicits a reaction.  Maybe Newton’s Law of Motion could be revised to say: To every smile there is an equal and opposite smile.

3. You look Marvelous: If you were to see someone smiling…and another person frowning, or expressionless, good chances are that you are going to find the smiler more pleasant to look at and more attractive.  Studies have shown that individuals who were asked to study posed faces found that those who were asked to smile received more favorable impressions.

4. A Choice in Aging: If you look at people who have wrinkles or facial lines, you’ll notice that most of the lines on their face follow their most natural facial expressions.  If you were to choose between frown lines or smile lines as your lines and wrinkles for the future, which would you rather?  I think the answer is obvious…

5. Muscular Response:  Here is a test.  1) Smile 2) Try to maintain your smile and frown at the same time.  3) Now try to smile and furrow your brow at the same time.  Not so easy.  Actually pretty impossible right?  So what does this tell you?  The more you smile, the less you are physically capable of frowning or furrowing your brow.

6. Overall Outlook: The more you smile, the more positive you feel and see things.  There was another research study where participants were either encouraged or prevented to smile.  Those that were able to smile rated cartoons as being funnier than the group who were prevented to smile, implying that your overall outlook is more positive and happy.

Convinced yet?  The reality is that smiling in itself is a holistic, natural ‘medicine’ and anti-aging regimen.  It helps us feel better, look better and age better!  So next time you are feeling like frowning.  “Turn that frown, upside down!”

by Brett Blumenthal - Sheer Balance

NEVER underestimate the power of smile. At one time, I was mad as hell when someone took the book I bought. I left it on top of my table before I left for work. When I returned home, it was gone. I really don’t have any problem with it if the person who took it just left a note that he was borrowing it. At least, with a note I can always ask the person if he is already done with the book.

But what really got my nerve this time was the fact that I had some scribbled notes on the said book, which I inserted. I was afraid that whoever took the book might just throw away the notes I had written.

I was about to give up when my niece came to my room. “I am very much sorry, uncle,” she said. I was surprised; what had she done to me, I asked myself. She took something from her bag and with a big smile, “Here’s your book which I took without your knowledge. I forgot to leave a note.”

It didn’t matter if the book was lost. What mattered most was the fact that here was my niece and with a broad smile eased all those worries. Never underestimate the power of smile. I have not seen a beauty contest where the contestants are not smiling.

“A smile is central to our evolution and one of the most powerful tools of human behavior,” explains Dr. Cacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, who has studied the importance of facial expression, including the variety and impact of smiles.

In 1872, Charles Darwin proposed in his book, The Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals that facial expressions are biologically based and universal among humans. However, the celebrated anthropologist Margaret Mead thought the smile was a cultural behavior that varied between societies.

There are several reasons why a person smiles. One indicator is that he or she is in love. Barry Manilow, referring to his beloved, croons, “I can’t smile without you.”

“A smile costs nothing but gives much,” someone once wrote. “It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it. Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.”

“Smile and others will smile back,” Jean Baudrillard thinks. “Smile to show how transparent, how candid you are. Smile if you have nothing to say. Most of all, do not hide the fact you have nothing to say or your total indifference to others. Let this emptiness, this profound indifference shine out spontaneously in your smile.”

But more often than not, people stop smiling. It seems they are carrying the whole problem of the world. Even in the early morning, when they should face the new day with gladness, they are already frowning. There are several reasons but those reasons are not enough to let yourself not to smile.

Here’s one poet said, “If at times you feel you want to cry and life seems such a trial. Above the clouds there’s a bright blue sky, so make your tears a smile. As you travel on life’s way with its many ups and downs, remember it’s quite true to say one smile is worth a dozen frowns.”

The poet continues: “Among the world’s expensive things, a smile is very cheap. And when you give a smile away, you get one back to keep. Happiness comes at times to all but sadness comes unbidden and sometimes a few tears must fall among the laughter hidden. So when friends have sadness on their face and troubles round them piled, the world will seem a better place and all because you smiled.”

“Today,” urged H. Jackson Brown, Jr., “give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.” A poet puts it more succinctly. “Smiling is infectious; you can catch it like the flu. Someone smiled at me today and I started smiling too.”

By Henrylito D. Tacio
For comments, write me at henrytacio@gmail.com

A smile not only sends a positive message, it may also have unforseen benefits to your physical and mental health. Find out what a smile can do for you.

It seems that nothing has more power to elevate a mood than the impact of a genuine smile. Surprisingly enough, the benefits of a smile extend not only to the recipient of the warm gesture but also to the smile’s originator. Yes, the old quotation may be true. “A smile is a little curve that sets a lot of things straight.” Here are some of the many benefits of a smile:

Benefits of a smile: A healthier immune system

Various studies conducted over the years have shown that smiling and laughter can boost the functioning of the immune system. This may help to reduce your risk of developing everything from the common cold to chronic diseases such as cancer. Could there be a less expensive medicine than this?

Benefits of a smile: Helps to relieve stress

Smiling and laughter helps to promote release of a “feel good” group of hormones called endorphins. These are the same group of hormones responsible for the runners high you hear so much about. If you don’t have time to get to the gym for a hard run, try adding a smile and a bit of laughter to boost these natural, stress relieving hormones.

Benefits of a smile: A smile is beautiful

Why do American spend thousands of dollars on makeup and cosmetic procedures to look more attractive and then walk around with a scowl on their faces? The most beautiful face in the world won’t be pleasing with down turned lips and a sour expression. In contrast, a plain face can be transformed by the power of a smile. If you want to look better, try adding a genuine smile.

Benefits of a smile: A smile inspires others

When you smile at a stranger you not only boost your own health and beauty, you also send a positive message that can potentially change someone else’s mood for the better. The stranger you graced with your smile may go on to pass the kindness to someone else. Who knows how far your original smile will travel?

Benefits of a smile: Smiling can increase your chances for success

When you smile, you appear confident and capable. Given the choice between two equally qualified job candidates, the smiling candidate is going to be perceived as being more of a team player and easier to work with. Who do you think is more likely to get the job offer?

by Kristie Leong MD

There might be more truth than you think to the term “million-dollar smile.” Research has found evidence of a possible connection between your appearance and how much is in your paycheck.

In a study released by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, researchers found that good-looking people tend to earn 5 percent more an hour than their less attractive cohorts.

Other studies suggest that a smile is a major factor in the overall impression a person makes on the job, during a job interview and in social situations outside the workplace.

Virtually all Americans say a smile is an important social asset, according to a study conducted for the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, while 74 percent say an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success.

“A dentist from Philadelphia we trained had a patient who reported his income went up 27 percent the year after getting a smile makeover,” said Dr. Bill Dickerson, founder of LVI Global, where dentists come from around the world to learn the latest aesthetic techniques.

A bright, genuine smile exudes confidence, strength and a willingness to open up to others. Conversely, if you are self-conscious about your smile, it might affect the way you carry yourself, the way you communicate with others and, ultimately, your job performance.

But the truth is, few people are born with perfect smiles. The fabulous smiles you see on TV and in magazines often are the results of cosmetic dentistry.

But you don’t have to be rich and famous to have your own million-dollar smile. There are many options, from smile whitening to repairing, straightening or replacing teeth. Many procedures can be completed in two to three visits.

However, finding the best dentist to initiate the transformation is a major key to the process. It’s important to choose a dentist who is trained specifically in the procedure you are seeking and keeps up with changes in the field, Dickerson said.

Nothing tells the story better or more dramatically than a before-and-after picture. A series of actual smile restorations performed by LVI Global-trained practitioners can be seen on the Internet at www.lvidocs.com.

by bendweekly (NewsUSA)

There’s no doubt about it; people who smile are much more attractive than people who frown. Not only are they more attractive, but also people are drawn to a smiling person like bees to honey. You don’t have to be considered a beauty to be attractive to others. You just have to smile - really! Just think of all the people you know to whom others are attracted. Are they smilers or frowners?

Smiling has a very unusual effect on the body. We can actually trick ourselves into feeling lots better when we smile. This is because smiling and laughing releases painkilling endorphins that are natural painkillers, and seratonin that is necessary to our well-being. These things really do make us feel better both physically and emotionally, so as the song says; put on a happy face.

Smiling makes us appear younger. It only uses 13 muscles in the face, while frowning uses many more and makes sharp lines appear between our eyes and in our cheeks. Lines make us appear older and detract from that attractive, smooth appearance. Smiling lowers blood pressure and boosts the immune system. Do you know a person who is really happy and rarely seems to get the flu or colds? Their smile actually keeps them healthy.

According to Christopher Peterson PhD, University of Michigan, scientific studies have proven that people who are optimistic (and so smile a lot) have much better health due to a more robust immune system. In older people, those who remain optimistic were 77% less likely to die from all causes than those who are pessimists.

Stress makes us look worn out and tired; that’s very aging. If we take the time to find something to smile about, it will relieve our stress and make us look and feel heaps better. So next time you are stressed, put on a smile. It will help if you think of all the good things you have in your life, or all the funny things that have happened. You could even keep a book of jokes in your desk drawer to read when things get you down. Smiling stimulates brain and heart activity, so if you are having trouble working out a problem, don’t frown, smile. The answer could come to you much more easily.

Smiling can change your mood; it can even change to mood of those around you. So do something good for yourself and help others too. Smile.

Proceedings of 6th Asia-Pacific ABC Conference on Management Communication on the theme “Management Communication: Trends & Strategies” Conducted by IIM, Ahamedabad, McGraw Hill

Abstract:

Good managers possess a knack to lighten-up their environment with a radiant smile. They trigger happiness wherever they go; for, their faces exude enthusiasm exhibiting their inner strength. Their smile reflects their openness and friendliness enabling them to strike a chord and create a deep relationship with their people. Ever since the leadership orientation has moved from the command-and-control pattern to the communicate-and-cooperate pattern, smile has become an essential trait to connect with the people at an emotional level. Managers with perennial smile are likeable to work with; for, they inspire those around with their vibrant, positive mood encased in their smile. Especially, ordinary employees who are insignificant in the organisation feel much recognised and accepted when they encounter a boss who has a friendly smile. Smile has not only the power to brighten up their day, but is as good a motivator as empowerment, praise and recognition.

Moreover, research shows that people who smile are perceived to be more pleasant, sincere, sociable, competent, honest, highly esteemed and popular. Perceptions, on the other hand, play an important role in the preference and likeability of a manager. So, it’s desirable for the manager to influence the perceptions of his people with positive cues like an earnest smile.

Samuel Babu Sekar, ICFAI University