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According to the American Dental Association, a person’s smile outranked eyes, hair and body as the most important physical feature. While smiling is a great way to get yourself noticed, it turns out that it can also help your body function better. Since June is National Smile Month, we thought it would be a great time to share some good reasons to show off your pearly whites:

Smiling Makes You More Attractive

Studies now support what we’ve long known . . . we’re more attracted to people who smile. Smiling, happy people are perceived to be more relaxed, confident and approachable—a characteristic that we’re naturally drawn to.

Smiling Changes Your Mood

There’s nothing quite like a cheerful smile for perking you up, as well as those around you. So next time you’re feeling down, try putting on a smile. There’s a good chance your mood will change for the better.

Smiling is Contagious

It turns out that emotions are catchy. When someone is smiling, they lighten up the room, change the mood of others, and make things happier. Dr. David Lewis, a psychologist and Director of Research at Mindlab International, says, “Seeing a smile creates what’s known as a halo effect, helping us to remember happy events, feel more optimistic, more positive and more motivated.”

Smiling Relieves Stress

According to a study at Columbia University, smiling can help to reduce symptoms associated with stress. Studies show that chronic stress does significant damage to the body and mind, so the next time you're stressed out, try to put on a smile. Better yet, find something to laugh about. Studies show that laughing reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and gives you a quick burst of energy.

Smiling Boosts Your Immune System

“The research is clear,” says Christopher Peterson, PhD, a University of Michigan professor. “There is a link between optimistic attitudes and good health.” His research supports that smiling, optimistic people have a more robust immune system. So, what are you waiting for . . . smile your way to better health!

Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers & Serotonin

Studies show that smiling releases natural “feel good” brain chemicals which reduce pain and make us feel happy. So remember to smile every day. Not only will you be happier, you’ll be healthier too.

Smiling Makes You Look Younger

The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don’t go for a face lift, just try smiling your way though the day. You’ll look younger and feel better!

Smiling Helps You Stay Positive

Try this test: Just smile for 30 seconds. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It’s hard, right? When we smile, our body is sending the rest of us a message that “Life is Good!”

A smile is one of the most simple, inexpensive and wonderful things you can do . . . Share yours with the world today!

Have you ever wondered where all those missing retainers go?

Well, our patients have some amazing stories to tell. Fact, fiction or just plain silly . . . only our patients know for sure. All we ask is that the stories entertain us, and many of our patients deliver just that. We thought we’d share a few of the stories we have received as a regular Blog feature. We hope you’ll enjoy them as much as we have!

The dreaded stink bugs were everywhere! They were waging war with the restaurants, grocery stores, and even the neighbors. Then, alas, my very own home was part of their invasion. It seemed all of Maryland was in peril. I battled them mercilessly with my trusty flyswatter only to find five more take the place of the those I had just killed. Thick creatures these stink bugs are. The flyswatter was an inferior means to an end with them. SPLAT . . . SWAT . . . and a couple of crunches from the good old boot, only to have them explode in a gush of thick, tangy goo and splatter on my face and arms—YUK! The stench everywhere, my eyes stinging from their foul innards, and my mouth salivating to get the excess splatter out of my mouth. I decided it was time to take this fight to the next level. It was time to bring out the big guns against these smelly fools! That’s right, chemical warfare is what the fight had to come to.

Day after day, I used my chemical weapons to destroy them outright. We saw their numbers were dwindling. With the cold winter fast approaching, the great stink bug empire was scattering fast. They knew their defeat was nigh, and they had to think fast and strike hard in order to stay in the game. All their attempts were to no avail, until one day when they struck me in a means I could have never predicted.

On a cold snowy night when the air was still, a small regiment of stink bugs formed a stealth force and infiltrated my bedroom during my sleepy time. I awoke suddenly, sniffed and knew something was wrong. I immediately moved to stand up and turn on the light, but the blanket was strapped down tight. I was bound to the bed and could hear faint little chuckles. No doubt in my mind that it was the stink bugs. Then a strong scent came over me and knocked me out.

I awoke many hours later startled. I immediately pushed the blanket, and it lifted off of me without a struggle. I stood up and scanned the perimeter of my bedroom confused and thought it may have been a dream. I told myself I must be getting paranoid over these stink bugs. As I walked out of my room, I froze in place. Eyes widened in horror . . . jaw dropped in shock as the realization came over me  - My treasured retainers were no longer in my mouth! It looks like those dreaded stink bugs had their ultimate revenge!

While teens with braces may worry about whether their colored rubber bands go with today’s outfit, adults in orthodontic treatment have different concerns, like gracefully making it through business meetings and dinner parties. These issues are becoming more common, as approximately 1 in 5 people in orthodontic treatment are adults, according to the American Association of Orthodontists.

Author Pam Waterman, who spent five years in braces as a teen and one as an adult, recognized how tricky it can be to navigate adulthood with braces. So she teamed up with Chef Amee Hoge to create The Braces Cookbook 2: Comfort Food with a Gourmet Touch.

The result is a creative collection of 50 recipes appropriate for those in braces, including entrees as well as breakfasts, appetizers, desserts and vegetarian dishes. For those looking to expand their cooking skills or impress dinner guests, many of the recipes feature optional gourmet additions courtesy of Chef Hoge, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York City.

A robust resource, Cookbook 2 supplements its recipes with survival advice for adults in braces. The authors offer coping techniques for adults in the business world, tips for difficult days, and practical suggestions for dining out and grocery shopping.

Cookbook 2 follows Waterman’s popular The Braces Cookbook: Recipes You (and Your Orthodontist) Will Love, which she co-wrote with her then 12-year-old daughter, Brenda and was directed at children and teens in braces.

Check out these sample recipes; one savory and one sweet:

Crabmeat Appetizers

When you've adjusted to your braces to the point of eating bread (!!), try these quick-to-assemble treats. A few minutes under the broiler, and they're ready to serve. You can also put them together a few hours ahead of time; just cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for a few hours until you're ready to broil them.

2 cans (about 5oz each) flaked crabmeat
1 loaf dark rye party bread (I find it in front of the deli counter. Each slice is about 2" square, and 1/4-inch thick, and there are probably 40 slices in a loaf; one loaf would make a double batch)
1 large cucumber
1 package(8 oz.) sliced Swiss cheese
Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip (to taste - about 2 Tablespoons)

On a large cookie sheet, lay out 20 slices of the party rye. Peel and slice the cucumbe into 1/4-inch slicesr; lay one slice on each slice of bread. Drain the crabmeat, and mix it with mayo or Miracle Whip to your liking (I go easy on the mayo myself). Put about a tablespoon of the crabmeat mixture on each cucumber. Fold and tear each slice of Swiss cheese into 8 pieces. Lay one slice on each appetizer. Broil until cheese is lightly golden.

Butterscotch Brownies

My mother started making these "non-chocolate" brownies when I was a little girl. Since she in turn has lived with our family since our oldest daughter was one, our girls have renamed them "Grandma's Tannies." By any name, they're fabulous, and oh so soft.

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
(optional: 1 cup butterscotch bits)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Baking time 40 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine oil and brown sugar, using an electric mixer and blending well. Add eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt, then add vanilla. Spread batter into a greased 9"x9" pan. If desired, sprinkle 1 cup butterscotch bits over top. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees. After cooling one minute, swirl the bits with a knife to give a marbleized effect. Cover pan with foil keep to brownies soft, or cut them in squares and store them in a covered container.

By adapting many of your family favorites into braces-friendly recipes, boring applesauce and mashed potatoes at every meal is a thing of the past. The recipes in this book will quickly become family favorites. Both The Braces Cookbook 2 and the original Braces Cookbook are available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Enjoy!

With Mother's Day just around the corner, we thought it would be a great time to share a poem written by a mother of an orthodontic patient. It's a fun tribute to all the parents out there who endure the trials and tribulations of a child in orthodontic care. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have!