National Smile Day

On May 31st, National Smile Day encourages everyone to wear their best smile!

Bring your brightest smiles to this party as we celebrate National Smile Day every year on May 31st. Founded by dentists, Dr. Tim Stirneman and Jim Wojdyla of Caring Compassion Dentistry in Lake in the Hills, Illinois, this day makes sense, guess what? Share with everyone what the power of a healthy smile can do!”

History of National Smile Day

According to zoologist Signe Preuschoft, the history of smiles can be traced back to monkeys and apes. These animals bare their teeth in a replica of a smile to show dominance or warn off predators. The theory is that humans have copied this behavior and that over time smiles evolved to show interest and amusement. Research shows that on the road to portraying happiness, smiling is one of the first ways to attract a mate.

If you've ever wondered why old portraits often show ugly people, it's because people of that era suffered greatly from tooth decay due to sugar and poor diet. In addition, the more common aristocratic notion that laughing and laughing was rude and showed a lack of self-control or good manners. One of the few exceptions is Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," although the portrait's ambiguity is part of its popularity. As dentistry and authentic attitudes evolved, people started smiling even during portraiture, this time with their teeth on display.

Studies on yearbook photos over the years show that the width of smiles is increasing over the years. The study showed that because the participants had to hold the pose longer in the days prior to the photo shoot, their smiles gradually faded. The prevalence of smiles in the recent past is related to culture and tradition and varies from country to country. Some regions with high individualism and low population densities have higher rates of smiling people. However, one study found that the biggest reason people smile could be a country's diverse immigration traditions over time. So places like Brazil and the United States, where people don't share customs or languages, have a higher percentage of smiles. Research says this is because smiles are part of a common language.

A French neuroscientist, Guillaume Duchenne, who has studied the mechanism of facial expression, has discovered that there are two types of smiles: the Duchenne smile and the non-Duchenne smile. The former eye smile is either a genuine smile, while the latter is a vague, insincere smile or simply a polite smile.

Some interesting truths about smiling

• Smiling is less taxing than frowning

More muscle to frown is more than to smile.

• Newborns laugh better than you

Newborns laugh about 400 times a day, while the average adult only smiles about 20 times.

• Babies can also fake!

At just 9 or 10 months old, babies have learned to fake smiles at strangers, reserving real smiles and laughter for those with whom they feel comfortable.

• We know whether a smile is true or not

Our brains have evolved to the point where we can see a fake smile a mile away – plus, our brains automatically mimic the smiles we see, which mean we I put on a fake smile for a fake smile.

• Laugh at the heck of it

A study on why people laugh showed that 80-90% of all laughter was in response to simple statements like "Nice to meet you" or "I'll see you later".

How to celebrate National Smile Day

• Smile!

Of course, the best way to celebrate this day dedicated to smiles is to smile! Spread a little good cheer around and charm others with your smile. We often don't realize we're scowling most of the day. Share a smile with someone for just a moment and see the difference that smile makes in your everyday interactions.

• Make others smile

Do one thing to bring a smile to another person's face. Start small (tell them a joke) or bigger (volunteer at a children's home). Whatever you choose, cherish the feeling of being able to light up someone's life and continue to bring a smile to everyone you meet.

• Visit your dentist

Since this day was created by dentists, please yourself by giving them a visit. Go for a dental check-up to make sure your smile is as beautiful as it should be.