What does a big, genuine smile say about you?—much more than you may think. And it has an astonishing effect on how people in your social circle see you. 

"I will never understand all the good that a simple smile can accomplish."

Mother Teresa

Research says that when you meet new people, they gain their first impression of you in less than a second. And once made, first impressions are nearly impossible to change. 

Your smile sends a powerful message when you meet someone or interact with people around you for the first time. And if you fake it, most people will notice. 

If You Fake A Smile, People Notice

People fake smiles for different sorts of reasons to deceive others. Someone may force a smile to hide embarrassment, fear, confusion, or anger. But what is it about forced smiles that make them ungenuine and easily noticeable? 

For years, differentiating fake smiles from real ones was difficult until the 19th Century. Guillaume Duchenne, a neurologist and son of a French pirate, designed an experiment widely used today to spot fake smiles. 

His experiment suggests genuine smiles engage both cheek muscles and those around the eye. Fake ones only flex the cheek muscles. So when you use your conscious power to force a smile, you interfere with how facial muscles are activated. And people around you can tell—your eyes will betray you. 

Your Genuine Smile Says 3 Things About You

Your smile communicates a more profound message than you may think. Below are the most significant things a genuine smile says about you: 

1. You are friendly, agreeable, and trustworthy. 

A smile that comes naturally to you draws people closer. It makes you seem more inviting, friendly, and approachable.  

According to Psychology Today, agreeableness—being cooperative, friendly, and polite—promotes social acceptance and friendship.  These qualities help you connect and interact positively with people. And the best part is that it only takes a genuine smile. 

2. You are happy.

You may smile when you picture your ex's attorney tripping on his way into the courtroom, you see a long-lost friend, or you remember how your romantic partner made you feel special last morning. Whatever the reason, a genuine smile most of the time equals happiness. 

Even if you don't feel that happy when you smile, people around you will think you're joyful if you appear to be. And why does that matter? When you smile, you tell people you are likable. This makes people want to help you when needed, as proven by Concordia University's researchers. 

3. You're confident. 

People ashamed of their smile may purse their lips, cover their mouths, or look down when talking to others—maybe because of stained teeth. This may result in avoiding face-to-face conversations, connecting with new people, and speaking in meetings. 

So a great smile may tell the world about your high self-confidence and self-esteem. When you're not self-conscious about your smile, others will feel it, which will be wonderful. 

6 Less Known Fun Facts About Smiling—No #3 and #5 Will Surprise You

These fun facts about smiling will intrigue you: 

1. Smiling can make you happy when you are sad.

It's so strange for someone to tell you to  "cheer up and smile" when you're in a challenging situation—maybe you are tired, feeling sick, or have just received saddening news. But have you ever wondered about the logic behind that statement? 

Happiness is what makes you smile. But the reverse is also true: smiling can make you happy when you are sad. 

Research says that a smile stimulates chemical reactions in the brain to release specific hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine. Dopamine boosts your feelings of happiness, while serotonin reduces stress and depression. 

2. Smiling can boost your immunity (and possibly increase your life span)

Multiple studies and experts have backed up this fact. An expert featured in NBC News says that smiling can boost your immune system. 

Harvard's research found that optimism, achievable through smiling, may help you live longer. The study also says that optimism reduces the risk of stroke, heart disease, and a decline in lung capacity and function. 

3. Smiling is contagious, just like yawning. 

Remember the last time someone smiled at you, and you smiled back, even without a particular reason? If you wonder why that happened, here's the science behind it: 

Your brain has special cells known as mirror neurons that make you equally respond when you observe a specific action (e.g., smiling) in others. The next time you visit the grocery store, gym, or golf club and automatically smile back at someone, it's your brain's mirror neurons at work. 

4. Generally, women smile more. 

Research by Yale University found that women smile more than men. But the gender difference disappears when they occupy similar social roles, power, and work. Marianne LaFrance, the lead psychology professor in the study, said that women, more often than men, diffuse tension in the air with a smile. 

5. Smiling improves mood, even if you're faking it. 

Smiling relieves stress and lifts your mood. Even if you're faking, the brain still registers the facial muscle movement and assumes that humor is happening. This tricks your brain into spurring chemical reactions that improve your moods and make you feel happier. 

6. Of 19 types of smiles, only six are for happiness. 

According to a psychology article published on BBC, there are nearly 20 ways to smile, but less than ten are for showing happiness. Ideally, you expect a smile to signify joy. But people smile differently to hide fear, show contempt, conceal bitter-sweet emotions, and more.  

The No. 1 Thing that Causes Smile Anxiety

Dental imperfection is the leading cause of smile anxiety. Crooked, stained, chipped, and missing teeth; these imperfections get exposed to the world when smiling. As a result, an individual may hide their smile to avoid embarrassment, judgment, or isolation by colleagues. 

However, being self-conscious about your smile is not the solution. An unsmiling face suggests you are unfriendly, not likable, and lack self-confidence. This hurts your ability to connect with new people and may also reduce your chances of getting a leadership rank at work. That's because leaders must fully believe in themselves before others can believe in them and follow their lead. 

Fixing teeth imperfections is a great solution to smile anxiety and boosting your self-esteem. Read on to learn how TruSmile brightens your smile and increases your self-confidence. 

How to Brighten Your Smile and Boost Your Self-Esteem

When you smile, your mouth's condition tells a lot about you and sends a powerful message that influences how others see you. A smile reflects your health: Are your teeth brilliantly white, perfectly straight, or crooked and discolored? Is one or several of your teeth missing?

Consider investing in your smile if your dental or oral health undermines your self-worth and negatively affects how people see you. While we can't guarantee people will love you more afterward, you will boost your self-confidence and make others feel better about you. 

TruSmile helps brighten your smile and boost self-esteem when talking to others. Our custom-made and affordable snap-on veneers are the best solution to common dental imperfections: 

• Missing teeth
• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Stained teeth
• Crooked teeth

The veneers fit easily in your mouth: they directly clip on your natural teeth to boost your confidence instantly when smiling. And the best part? 

• No expensive and time-consuming dentist visits
• No painful procedures involved
• Get your confidence-boosting TruSmile veneer from the comfort of your home
• Affordable payment options for those on a budget
  
  

Start Your Smile Transformation Today in 6 Simple Steps

Because TruSmile veneers are cheap and high-quality, you excellently hide teeth imperfections without depleting your savings balance. Get your fitting veneer in a few simple steps: 

Step 1: Choose a payment plan from three options: single payment, two payments, and monthly payments. 

Step 2: Pick your perfect shade. You have three options: B1 (very bright), A1 (natural white), and A2 (not very bright). 

Step 3: Make teeth impressions using the kit you ordered. The kit includes detailed instructions on accurately taking teeth impressions at home—no dentist visit. 

Step 4: Take four photos of your mouth (looking up, down, sideways, & straight at the camera) and email them to  photos@trusmileveneers.com. 

Step 5: Mail your impression kit in the provided packaging. 

Step 6: Get your custom veneers. We'll use your teeth impressions and photos to create personalized veneers that fit and brighten your smile. We'll ship them to you for free anywhere around the US. 

TruSmile veneers are perfectly designed—no one will know they are veneers. People will think it's your natural teeth.

Your first impression when interacting matters a lot because it sticks. And because a great genuine smile suggests you're welcoming and honest, good teeth make a huge difference in how a first impression sticks. Boost your confidence today with TruSmile veneers. 

A satisfied customer

Find out what users are saying about TruSmile veneers. Also, check if you qualify to buy our confidence-boosting and smile-brightening snap-on veneers.