News + Research

The power of a smile: 3 ways fortune smiles on those with healthy grins

Smiling can benefit your relationships, health and overall success. 

     

Stronger relationships

Smiling can be a game-changer throughout a relationship. For instance, 70% of Americans say a smile can make or break a first impression.1 Wider smiles have even been connected to longer-lasting and more satisfying marriages.Perhaps smiles can help relationships because they make you more attractive.

Surveys show that:

47%

of Americans rate a smile as a person's most attractive feature.3

69%

say they are more likely to be attracted to someone who smiles often.4

     

Better health

Smiling is associated with numerous health benefits, including lowering stress, helping you relax, relieving pain and lifting your mood. Flashing a smile can also lower your blood pressure and heart rate. One study even linked a wider smile to a longer lifespan.

     

 

     

 

Greater success

Research indicates that a smile makes you appear more capable. Good oral health also makes more than two-thirds of Americans feel confident.No wonder more than half of adults in the U.S. connect their smile to their overall success.6

Good oral health is key to keeping a healthy smile. Brush twice a day, floss daily, maintain a healthy diet and see your dentist regularly — at least once a year. More than 3 out of 4 adults who visit the dentist at least once a year say they like their smile.7