As we all know, a smile makes everyone feel better. But do you know why? There are several reasons. First of all, a smile relaxes the muscles of the face and calms the nervous system. There is a nerve called the vagus nerve and when you smile, the vagus nerve is activated, and the body relaxes more. Laughing actually sends more oxygen to the brain which helps the whole body feel better. As more oxygen circulates, it helps to flush the byproducts of the cells in the body and  effectively you are doing a cleanse.

During a smile, the neurons in your body release dopamine, endorphins and serotonin which are the neurotransmitters that reduce depression and aggression. These are the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitters. Think of it like a runner’s high, you feel really good, really light and airy when on a good run and things are clear and bright. The best thing about smiling may be that it is free and easy to do.

Along with increasing the ‘feel good’ hormones being produced, there is a reduction in the stress-enhancing hormones. These hormones are cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol and adrenaline are great hormones when we are being chased by a sabretooth tiger that is intent on eating us, as our muscles go into a high-stress mode so we can basically run away faster. However, the lactic acid will build up and make those muscles very sore later on. This is why smiling helps, less of the stress hormones and more of the calming neurotransmitters.

Another reason for a big smile is that when you show those pearly whites, you are opening yourself up to others. You are telling other people that you are happy to see them and want to be around them. We are all creatures who crave companionship and when other people want to be around you, it makes you feel wanted and cared for. Just this feeling of companionship has its own healing power. When we open up to others, we stimulate endorphins to be produced, and this is certainly a great way to improve our health. And when the other person smiles back at you, they are now producing endorphins as well. So, make someone happy, smile at them, get their endorphins going and make it a better day for everybody!

Call Today

If you would like to learn more, please call our experienced team in Falls Church, Virginia to schedule a visit with Dr. Jeffrey, Brown. Call 703-821-1103 today.

The post How Does Your Smile Make You Better? first appeared on Sleep & TMJ Therapy.

Did you know that a gorgeous smile with great teeth and well-supported Temporomandibular joints also means less neck pain?  It’s so true! Time and time again it has been shown that losing a tooth means that the structural integrity of the cervical spine is compromised. This is why it is not advisable to remove any teeth unless completely necessary. In so many cases, it is necessary to remove the patient’s wisdom teeth.  For this reason, many people would benefit from wearing the ALF appliances to maintain support of the bones of the skull during the healing process. When wisdom teeth are removed, the research indicates there will be about 16 square centimeters of holes in the skull and the bone has a tendency to collapse from this. The ALF appliance will help to support the bones of the skull and more readily allow the bone to fill into the holes created by the extractions, without causing a collapsing effect.

In the past, it was much more commonplace to have all your teeth pulled out and have dentures made. The problem with the denture route is that most of the time the dentist’s lab uses a type of plastic material and the dentures have a tendency to wear down quite quickly. What happens next is the top of the jaw – the condyle – will more readily jam into the socket and we have more TMD problems. This is why it is good to avoid dentures and go the implant route.

When a person has implants done, it would be wise to get the implant crowns to the proper height. This would require working with someone like a TMJ specialist who understands that the condyles must be in the right place to protect the joints from degeneration. By paying attention to the vertical height of the implant crowns, this will allow the patient to feel better with their brand-new smile!

Another facet of dealing with a gorgeous smile is that a great smile looks better if the bones in your skull are more balanced and symmetrical. When you think about it, it kind of makes sense. If your cranial bones are level, the body is happier and looks better. Again, this is what the ALF wire is all about – symmetry and balance – and this creates a more beautiful appearance too.

So, make sure that beautiful smile translates into a beautiful and healthy YOU!

The post The Case of Why We Need a Gorgeous Smile (From a TMJ Perspective) first appeared on Sleep & TMJ Therapy.