Smile!

by Andrea Harris

Photo Credit: Neurosciencestuff.tumblr.com

When I was a kid, I remember thinking my dad was sort of a grumpy guy... and also somehow secretly related to BYU coach LaVell Edwards (though he never seemed to show up at any family reunions, much to my disappointment). Partly it’s because my dad has really big, black, furrowy eyebrows, but mostly it’s because half the time he looks EXACTLY like Coach Edwards in the 4th quarter of a game there’s no hope of winning.  You know the frown I’m talking about!

Photo credit: The Sports Bank.net

Over and over my dad would say, “I am happy! I just forgot to tell my face.”  And still, people would mistake him as one orney fella.  (If you know him at all, nothing could be farther from the truth!)

So what’s the big deal about smiling?   Well, as it turns out, smiling is crazy good for you and there’s research to prove it.  Here are  just a few things smiling can do for you:

1. Lower Heart Rate – Smiling slows the heart and relaxes the body. This lets the heart work without overworking. People who smile and laugh often are less likely to develop heart disease. Smiling reduces blood pressure temporarily, too.  My frowny-faced dad?  He just had a heart attack...Might be something to this, right?  

2.  Reduce Stress – Stress is a common problem in the modern world that causes a myriad of health problems. Stress relief may be as simple as smiling a little more throughout the day. Smiling releases endorphins that counteract and diminish the stress hormones.  It also costs less than new shoes and works faster than the speed of chocolate!  Now, that’s a mood booster!

3. Increase Productivity –  So your boss just handed you a whole stack of things to do by the end of the day?  Instead of rolling your eyes before you dig in, try smiling! Smiling has been shown to increase productivity while performing tasks. There’s truth to the “whistle while we work” mentality. This also explains why silly internet memes and pictures of cute animals can actually get people motivated and working harder after a few moments of smiling or laughter.

4. Encourage Trust – Studies show that we are more trustful of others when they smile and smile genuinely. Trust is an important part of social health when dealing with people, whether they be loved ones or just acquaintances. Seems relationships are truly built on smiles.

5. Kill Pain – Smiling and laughter both have been shown to lessen pain. They release endorphins that lift our moods, but many of these act as natural painkillers, too. Now, don’t get crazy and skip the doctor next time you fall off a ladder, you can’t smile your way out of that one!  But smiling lends to our general sense of well-being, which helps us forget our minor aches and pains.

6. Increase Attention – Stress limits our perceptions and narrows our attention. Our body kicks into fight or flight mode where we can focus only on one of those things. Smiling counteracts this and widens our attention again, opening us back up to multitasking and insights that come from the fringes of our perception and our subconscious.

7. Build Attraction – Smiling makes people more attractive. This seems to be especially true for women. Men are more likely to approach a woman who smiles than one who simply makes eye contact while women aren’t necessarily drawn in by a smile alone.  

8. Look Younger – Smiles naturally lift the face and in studies have shown to make people look younger, around 3 years younger on average.  Go ahead, use a little less face cream.  Your face is naturally beautiful when you’re smiling.  The other day, my co-worker guessed that I was 8 years OLDER than I am.  If I wasn’t frowning before, I sure was after he said that!  But I’ll confess, I forget to tell my face I’m happy every once in awhile, too.  

9. Longevity – The effects of a good smile extend past just the exterior good looks. People who smile more often live longer too, around 7 years longer than most according to one study. It releases stress, helps the heart, and much more to keep you healthy longer.  There it is again!  That old smile to heart connection!

10. Contagious – Around 50% of people smile back. This spreads the health benefits throughout those around you and it comes back to you several times as well.  Try it this week.  Smile at every person you encounter.  I’m willing to bet you’ll make at least one person’s day... and your own!

So go ahead and get your smile on!  You’ll look younger, feel better, and gosh-darn-it, people will like you more!  And don’t forget to take good care of your smile! After all, it’s taking good care of you!

Smiles Giveaway Winner | Bill and Rhonda Miller

And the winner is...

Bill and Rhonda Miller

Congratulations! 

To pick up your $25 Barnes and Noble gift card come by the office in the next week.

Dr. Matthews office located at 3610 N. University Ave Suite 200 in Provo.

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Why WWII Changed the Way we Take Care of Our Teeth

If you brush your teeth twice a day, you should thank Walter Vail.  Never heard of him?  I'm not surprised. Yet this forward thinking dentist, who was part of the army (eventually a Colonel), changed everything--at least as far as American's dental hygiene was concerned.

Lt. Col. Walter Vail
Photo courtesy: History of Dentistry in the
US Army to WWII p. 766

In 1933, after World War I but some 6 years before World War II, the top leadership in the Dental Corp of the army changed.  A retiring colonel left and the open spot was filled by Rex Rhodes, who brought in a smart young dentist, then Major Walter D. Vail, as his assistant.

"As the assistant for clinical operations, Vail had intimate knowledge of all facets of the [Army's] dental service." (History of Dentistry in the US Army to World War II, p 764)  Between 1933-1934, after analyzing over 6000 dental records, Vail wrote several articles about what a poor job the Army was doing of taking care of soldiers' teeth and ultimately outlined a system that would do a better job of teaching preventative measures for dental care.

His idea was a 4 step system for fixing army dental care.  Step 1 was to bring in recruits with fewer pre-existing problems.  (During WWI, you needed only 12 serviceable teeth to enlist in the army, whereas the for the Navy you had to have 20 good teeth.) Step 2, get more dentists to provide adequate care.  Step 3 was really the key--to start a dental health training program.  The final step was to extend services and training to civilians under army care, largely the soldiers' families.

Vail was very convincing and his policy was adopted by the army.  WWII began in 1939 and ended in 1945.  After V-day thousands of soldiers returned to civilian life with a habit of good dental hygiene. They continued brushing their teeth and taught their families to do the same.  It was a catching habit and soon Americans at large were brushing their teeth regularly and seeing dentists to help preserve their teeth.

Thanks to Colonel Vail's work, edentulism or the loss of all natural teeth, has fallen from 50% of those 65+ needing dentures in 1950 to only 28% in 2008.  Improvements in implants, crowns, sealants and more have helped Americans keep their teeth longer.  But when you head to bed tonight, and stop to brush your teeth first, think of Walter Vail and the difference one person can make.

Smiles Giveaway Winner | Brittany Wilson

And the winner is...

Brittany Wilson

Congratulations! 

To pick up your $25 Nordstrom's gift card come by the office in the next week.

Dr. Matthews office located at 3610 N. University Ave Suite 200 in Provo.

Your gift card will be available tomorrow, Tuesday May 14th.  

Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook so you don't miss a single giveaway. 

I “Soda” Know I Shouldn’t, But I “Soda” Drink It Anyway...

by Andrea Harris

I’m sitting here with a glass of ginger ale, sipping away happily on the nectar of the gods.  I know I shouldn’t drink it. I really do.  But I love it.  With. My. Heart.  And yet the little voice in the back of my head tells me that I shouldn’t. Soda is TERRIBLE for you.

When I was in 5th grade, I entered my elementary school science fair with an experiment where I dissolved bits of steak in soda to show the effects of carbonation on the lining of your stomach.  It was completely disgusting, actually.  For every passerby, I would use my tweezers to pull the disintegrating flesh out of it’s little soda bath.  By the end of the fair, the meat was just a jiggly mass covered in little bubble bites.  I remember thinking I would never drink soda again.  EVER.  Except on the 4th of July.  And New Year’s Eve. And maybe tomorrow.  Aww, nuts. I’m weak.

But let’s get real for a minute here.  I also have 5, count ‘em 5 crowns.  And I’m 30 something or another.  That’s too many.  And I still can’t drink a really cold glass of water.  It’s agony.

According to Dentistry.net,

“Soda can do some remarkable damage to your teeth. Some research suggests it may be just as corrosive to teeth as drinking battery fluid, and this can occur as soon as the first three minutes of consumption. This is caused by a combination of mostly three factors, one is the sugar (which is really a minor factor compared to the others) then comes the phosphoric acid present in some sodas and finally the staining effect that they can have on your teeth.

The sugar problem is caused by acid creating bacteria on the surface of your teeth that feed on sugar and use it to create acid, which destroys your teeth. The sugar in sodas is easily used by the teeth as opposed to the sugars in say, whole grain bread which does not break down in the mouth.

The phosphoric acid is worth avoiding in general. This is the same substance that dentists use to scour enamel so you know it's effective in removing it. Of course it's not present in the same concentrations as in a dental application but it could be worth avoiding all the same. Erosion is far more harmful than decay, and can cause hypersentivity.

Finally comes the cavities and the staining of the teeth. Sodas add layers of sugars to your teeth that create plaque and offer food for hordes of bacteria that happen to be in your mouth. Over time this layer can produce a yellowed effect on your teeth that is unsightly and will need to be treated by a dentist.”

Those are some sobering facts, right?  Who in their right mind would ever think to drink battery acid? No one! So, even if you’re one of those people who just has to have that afternoon Diet Coke to make it through the day, your teeth and Dr. Matthews would probably thank you if you even cut back to one or two of those a week. And don’t forget to use a straw! It helps reduce the amount of soda your teeth are bathing in. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I have some soda to pour down the sink...

And the Winner of the iPad Mini is...

Nacole Morgan Elton

Congratulations! To pick up your iPad Mini come by the office in the next week.  

Dr. Matthews office located at 3610 N. University Ave Suite 200 in Provo.
Call 801-377-9600 for office hours.