Thank you to all who have already registered to volunteer at this year’s Florida Mission of Mercy! There is still time to sign up — join us on March 22-23 at Edgewater High School in Orlando and help bring relief from dental pain to thousands of patients. To learn more, watch the video below and visit flamom.org to sign up today!
Filmed in a single shot, the FDA asks intriguing people what they like, what they don’t and that fascinating middle ground that defines them.
In this edition, we visited Rep. Loranne Ausely (D) at the Capitol to get to know our legislator from District 9 here in Leon County. We discover that a passion of hers has awarded her numerous medals. What is it? Watch the video below to find out!
Interested in taking part in “Chew on This! 32 Questions” or know someone who would make a great subject? Please send suggestions to communications@floridadental.org — we love to hear from our members!
A House health care panel is moving forward with a bill that would allow Florida dentists to qualify for up to $250,000 in student loan repayments. Click the image below to read the article and to view the video.
Many people go to the dentist not just because they want good oral health, but also because having a great smile is a good confidence booster and makes them more likely to smile more often. But it also impacts those who see that dazzling smile.
“Every day we see people who tell us about how their friends, family and business colleagues are also affected by their new smiles,” says Dr. Ana Castilla, an orthodontist and author of the book, The Smile of Your Life: Everything You Need to Know for Your Orthodontic Journey. “They are just more willing to smile, and they didn’t anticipate how much that would impact others in their life.”
Studies have shown that people believe smilers are reliable, relaxed and sincere. A study published in the Journal of Neuropsychology reported that seeing an attractive, smiling face activates the orbitofrontal cortex, the region in the brain that processes sensory rewards. This suggests that when someone sees a person smiling, they feel rewarded.
As a result, Dr. Castilla says some of the things a smile can do for you include:
1. Make you more attractive. “Your smile is your best accessory,” Castilla says. “Studies have shown that people who smile are automatically viewed as more attractive, reliable, relaxed and sincere. Seeing an attractive face can be considered a rewarding stimulus, and when a person sees a smiling face, the region of their brain that processes sensory rewards is activated significantly more than when viewing a non-smiling face.”
2. Relieve stress and boost your mood. Science has shown that smiling increases your health and happiness, not just at the moment, but even in the long run, Castilla says. “The more you smile, the healthier and happier you will be,” she says. How so? When you smile, your brain releases signaling molecules called neuropeptides to the rest of your body, she says. These neuropeptides influence your brain, body and behavior in many ways, including reducing stress, aiding sleep and elevating your mood.
3. Lower your blood pressure. When you smile, your brain also releases feel-good neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, endorphins and serotonin. These chemicals calm your nervous system by lowering your heart rate and blood pressure. “It’s great to know that even when you skip out on going to the gym, you can still work on your health by smiling away,” Castilla says. “Although, I don’t recommend skipping the gym.”
4. Help you make others happy. Smiling not only has the power to elevate your mood, but also can change the moods of others. “If you’re grumpy or rude, then you’re likely to put others in a bad mood or even put them off,” Castilla says. “The same thing happens with laughter and smiling. What happens when you smile at someone? They smile back, of course. Even babies know what to do. Smile at a baby and they will smile right back at you.”
“A beautiful smile is so much more than just straight teeth,” Castilla says. “It is health, confidence and joy. It is what you display during the happiest moments of your life, such as when you graduate from school, get married or your child is born. It is a reflection of your spirit, and make no mistake, it can change your life.”
Reprinted with permission from Castilla Orthodontics. The original post can be found here.
