No Mask Can Stop a Smile
Is there anything more magical than a smile?
The smile born from a baby’s first taste of ice cream, or from a child after his first solo ride on a bike without training wheels, or from that special moment when she says yes to the ring…
A smile gives us a glimpse into an individual’s personality and even his or her state of mind. Without speaking a word, when a person smiles, something special is communicated.
But this winter, the Covid virus mask came on the scene. And it has temporarily robbed us of what we had often taken for granted - the ability to enjoy each other’s smiles in public. I miss my patients’ bubbly smiles… but I know most of you are smiling under those masks.
What makes a smile?
I thought it might be interesting to look a little deeper into what makes up a smile so we can better appreciate them when the masks disappear.
It’s interesting that social psychology literature separates smiles into several categories, but the two largest groups are the social smile (posed) and the enjoyment smile (spontaneous). The social smile is a voluntary smile that we have all practiced for social events and yearbook photos. The enjoyment smile is involuntary and represents the emotions felt by the individual at the moment. This would be the three-strikes-in-a-row-while bowling smile. In the game of politics and show business, smiles are cultivated and refined in both the voluntary and involuntary categories. Many politicians, actors, and actresses learn to use their smiles to win over, attract, or convince the viewing public. I would be remiss not to mention our love for the large and captivating smile of Julia Roberts.
No discussion of the smile would be complete without reflecting on the famous and controversial smile of Mona Lisa. Her smile is quite controlled, discreet, and rather unnatural. Scholars believe that at the time Da Vinci painted her, the showing of any intimate parts of the body, including the mouth and teeth, was deemed impolite. Others have theorized that with the poor oral hygiene and even poorer dental education of the time, many people had missing, stained, and crooked teeth. Just think if Mona Lisa would have had Invisalign! The course of art history may have been changed forever!
When I was in orthodontic school, there was a popular study done to determine the number of muscles it takes to create a smile. Amazingly, the answer is ten for a small smile and twelve for Julia Robert’s masterpiece! Years later, another study was conducted to answer the question, “Why do I feel good when I smile?” The study went on to show you throw a feel-good party in your brain every time you smile due to the release of neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters include endorphins, serotonins, and even dopamine; combined, they lower both your blood pressure and heart rate and relax your body. Pretty amazing to do all those things and not be found in a bottle or pill, but smiling has been known to be habit forming!
We miss your smiles!
Congratulations to all of you for keeping the Covid curve down by practicing social distancing and wearing a mask. We need to continue this for just a bit longer in order to safely defeat the virus and reduce its chances for a return engagement.
But, because we miss your smiles so much, my team and I will be launching a very special program on Monday, April 27th. We’re calling it the Smile Stimulus Program, and it involves prizes that will make you smile. Look for an announcement on our website and Facebook about this program on Monday!
Don’t forget to brush, floss, and wash. And have a safe and healthy Spring!
- Dr. P