Search is on for 'Britain's Best Smile' this National Smile Month - cash prize

The search is on now for the person with the nation's sunniest smile. There's a prize at stake, but the competition is also part of the current National Smile Month, to drive home how we all benefit from giving, and receiving smiles. It’s a simple gesture - but a sunny smile can completely lift a recipient’s day, and do wonders for your own health and general positivity. As the special month is now in full grin, the British public is being urged to help find the owner of ‘Britain’s best smile’. SmileDirectClub Whether it’s a genuine and natural smile, a cute and flirtatious twinkle, or a grin from ear to ear, the British public is asked to nominate someone they feel is worthy of the title. They say it takes 43 muscles to frown, and only 17 muscles to smile, so now is an ideal time to ‘flip the frown’. Smiles can have a hugely positive impact, and recent research by SmileDirectClub shows that over two thirds of Brits feel happy and confident when a stranger smiles at them in the street, and 84 per cent would choose to smile right back at them. In the words of Frank Sinatra ‘When you’re smilin’, the whole world smiles with you’. The winner will be picked by the UK SmileDirectClub panel and they will subsequently be presented with a trophy and a cheque for £500. So, get cracking with both smiles and entries, and get your nominations in as soon as possible. To enter, send the nomination to: BritainsBestSmile@Cherishpr.com Submissions close at midnight on Sunday, May 15, and the winner will be picked during the following week, to be announced on 23rd May. The physical and psychological benefits of laughter and smiling are plenty. Research shows that those who consciously or subconsciously smile more live better and longer. You may have heard that laughter is contagious. Studies show this is indeed true. You seem much more approachable when smiling. When you smile or laugh, your positivity will likely be reflected, helping you form relationships. Your body releases three hormones that make you feel good when you smile, namely dopamine, endorphins and serotonin. These signal to your body that you’re happy, and in turn, you feel happier. Smiling even releases effective natural painkillers to help you handle pain. And smiling has been shown to substantially increase the capabilities of the immune system. It helps to increase the presence of infection fighting antibodies, and helps to create more immune cells. So more protection. It can be hard to force yourself to smile when you don’t feel up to it, but making yourself smile can still provide many benefits, as your brain doesn’t differentiate between genuine smiles and fake smiles. Try to spend time in places you feel good, and in the company of cheerful people. Then you are more likely to want to smile yourself.