Smiling is contagious! Seriously, it is! Scientists have studied the smile and proven that it is, in fact, infectious.

Healthy smile. To keep your smile looking its best, the knowledgeable folk at Elmsleigh House Dental Clinic in Farnham recommend brushing your teeth for two minutes last thing at night and at least one other time during the day with a fluoride toothpaste. They also say you should clean between your teeth every day with dental floss or interdental brushes. This will help protect teeth from cavities, make teeth stronger, and smiles healthier.

Smiling is the universal sign of happiness. It doesn’t matter where in the world you live, which language you speak or culture you identify with, a smile is a sign of joy, contentment and pleasure.

Muscle power. Apparently it takes 17 muscles to smile, however a small smile can take as little as 10 muscles. It is said that a frown takes 43 muscles.

Sweet stuff. Sugar is the enemy of the smile – it’s been identified as a major factor in dental decay. The team at Elmsleigh House Dental Clinic recommend cutting down on sugary food and drink, for the benefit of your smile. And if you really myst, have sugar at mealtimes only.

Animal smiles. Does a Cheshire cat really grin? The jury’s still out on that one. But the animal kingdom is indeed full of delightful smiles apes, monkeys and chimpanzees have the ability to laugh and smile like the humans, and anyone who owns a dog with know our four-legged friends are prone to popping a smile when they’re happy. The pint-sized quokka, an Australian marsupial distantly related to the kangaroo and wallaby, is also a natural smiler.