Smiling. For some of us, it comes as naturally as breathing, and believe it or not, it has almost as many benefits, too! For example, studies have shown that being smiled at by a stranger can improve your mood - and make you want to smile back. Smiling has even been found to boost the immune system, and people who smile often live an average of seven years longer than people who don’t. With all that’s known about the benefits of a simple smile, it’s a wonder more of us aren’t grinning ear-to-ear all the time.

It’s that time of year again, when the days get longer, the grills get hotter and millions of parents across America experience the bittersweet emotions of watching their children graduate from high school and college. Graduation brings with it many new and exciting opportunities, like traveling abroad, choosing a major and entering the job market for the first time. What should be an exciting time in any young person’s life can often be marred with frustration and insecurity - especially if that young person is embarrassed or ashamed of their smile. That’s because in addition to causing its share of health issues, having a bad bite, broken or crooked teeth, or even noticeably missing teeth can harm people’s perception of you. It’s bad enough in social situations, but studies have shown that having a bad smile can also seriously hurt your career aspirations.