Will Smiling Help You Live Longer?

Research has long shown that smiling and laughter contribute to relaxation and feelings of positivity which can help you relax, bolster your immune system, and potentially lower your blood pressure. All great reasons to smile!

A recent Wayne State University study has expanded on that notion, theorizing that the larger you smile (a.k.a. smile intensity), the longer you may live. As your Arlington, VA dentist and your Washington DC dentist, we are dedicated to giving you more reasons to smile - and smile big!

Professors Ernest L. Abel and Michael L. Kruger conducted a case study that used a sampling of 230 photographs of baseball players culled from the now-defunct Sporting News Baseball Register. The players' 1952 headshots were analyzed by researchers and identified as either "no smile," "partial smile," or "full (Duchenne) smile." The researchers compiled the life data (birth, death, education, marital status, etc.) for the baseball players and controlled for body mass index, career length, marital status, college attendance, and other longevity factors.

The results? Smile big and you might live an extra seven years.

The players with no smile at all lived for an average of only 72.9 years, a full two years less than those who exhibited partial smiles. The players with the biggest grins had an even longer lifespan: Players with full smiles lived to 79.9 years, almost two years longer than the typical life expectancy for an American. That’s an overall difference of seven years of life between those players that chose not to smile and those who gave wholehearted grins.

These interesting results raise additional questions. Did the smiling players live longer because smiling creates the health benefits of positive emotionality such as stronger immune systems, lower stress, and lower blood pressure? Or was it that players with greater health were more likely to feel happy and therefore smile?

Either way, smiling is healthy. At SmileDesigner, we can give you more reasons to show a your big grin with our cleaning and preventative care services, cosmetic dentistry options, and teeth whitening plans.
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