See if you can guess what our facts and trivia are about from this riddle!

“It costs nothing, but creates much. It enriches those who receive, without impoverishing those who give. It happens in a flash and the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.”

If you guessed a smile, you are right!

If you are like most, I’m sure you have heard the quote, “laughter is the best medicine”. We agree here at Antoine Dental Center and we wanted to share some interesting facts to make you think and others just to make you smile. Enjoy!

Smile Statistics and Trivia:

1. We buy 14 million gallons of toothpaste each year.
2. 48% of young adults have untagged themselves from a photo on Facebook because of their smile.
3. Smiling is our first facial expression. Babies are born with the ability to smile. Most of us have heard that babies are not capable of smiling during their first few months of life. But according to research and ultrasound evidence, babies can smile in utero and immediately after birth. These “automatic” smiles are produced as a result of pleasurable physical sensations, such as falling asleep, resolving gas or eating. The other type of smiles, or “social smiles”, are produced as a result of facial recognition that arises when a baby recognizes a parent’s face or sees a favorite toy. This type of smiling does not normally begin to occur until about two months of age. Once we learn how to smile, there are 19 different types of smiles. Do you know them all?
4. A smile is the universal sign for happiness. It doesn’t matter where in the world you may be. Smiling is intercultural! No matter where you go, you don’t need an interpreter for smiles.
5. Have you heard that it’s easier to smile than it is to frown? There isn’t actually any proof behind this saying. Scientists have studied the muscles needed for both facial expressions, and to do a small smile generally uses 10 muscles (and up to 53); a small frown uses 6. On average, a smile uses 12 and a frown 11. However, since humans tend to smile a lot, these muscles are stronger. Because we aren’t as used to using these muscles, frowns may require more energy. So turn that frown, upside-down!
6. Humans can detect smiles from more than 300 feet away!

Improve your health and even lengthen your life:

1. Faking a smile will help you get in a better mood.
2. Smiling slows the heart and relaxes the body.
3. Smiling boost’s your immune system.
4. Smiling reduces blood pressure and stress.
5. Women smile more than men. The average woman smiles 62 times a day. The average man smiles 8 times a day. Maybe this is why they live women live longer? On a similar note – Did you know that children smile up to 400 times a day?

Want to look more attractive?

1. Smiles are more attractive than makeup. A research study conducted by Orbit Complete discovered that 69% of people find women more attractive when they smile than when they are wearing makeup. Studies have shown that men think women who are not wearing make-up but are smiling are more attractive than those with perfect make-up who were stone-faced.
2. Women will also look more attractive to men when smiling. No surprise there!
3. You will look less appealing as a man when you are smiling, if you are trying to attract a woman. – Oddly enough, the opposite is favored by women in a study by the American Psychological Association who prefer a man to look “brooding.” As a woman, this does not mean you should be rude or angry. The study only looked at initial reactions, not long-term relationship reactions.
4. Smiling makes you look younger.

Want to be more successful?

1. Smiling increases productivity, makes you seem more trustworthy and more creative. Smiling also makes you look successful. It’s no wonder that employers promote people who smile often.
2. People who smile consistently are more likely to have healthy marriages.
3. Smiling while talking on the phone makes you sound friendly.
4. Smiles DO NOT create wrinkles! “Nasolabial folds” appear every time you smile, that much is true, but the real culprit is your skin’s diminishing elasticity explains Dr. Marc Glashofer, a New York-based dermatologist. Don’t blame your smile!
5. Picture time? Say “Cheeks” instead of “Cheese” to display a more genuine smile Saying “cheeks” will not only shape your mouth nicely but will also remind you to squeeze your cheeks upwards into a visually satisfying, genuine-looking smile.
6. Want to feel like a million bucks? Studies in the UK found that a single smile can generate the same amount of brain stimulation that 2,000 chocolate bars or $25,000 can.

More than just Smile Statistics, We want to make you smile!

Now that you’ve learned a few fun facts and smile statistics, we at Antoine Dental Center would love to make you smile! If you’re looking for a dentist in Houston, TX, we would love to hear from you. Call us at 713-691-8880. We hope to hear from you soon!