Laughter can be some of the best medicine.

Did you know a joke a day can help keep the doctor away? Laughing is one of the best ways to help relieve stress, which can wreak havoc on your mind and body if you have no way to release it.

When you are stressed, your body has a ‘fight or flight’ response, and that can cause shallow breathing, your heart rate to increase, and your pupils to dilate. Studies show that long-term exposure to stress can cause obesity, cancer, heart disease, and a slew of other health problems if your stress is not dealt with. That’s why they say you should laugh a few times a day to help relieve some of the stress you have in your life, because it can help prolong your life and makes your days a little brighter.

What are some benefits of laughter?

Besides being a way to relieve stress, laughter has a few other benefits to your health. Many researchers say laughing can create a bond between people. Humans are social creatures, and laughing together can create a common bond between us, which is something humans crave. Creating bonds is another way to build trust with each other, and that is another core block humans build bonds on.

Laughing also has other benefits to your body. It can increase your oxygen intake because of the deeper breaths you are prone to take when laughing. The extra oxygen helps to fortify your bloodstream and is great for your organs. Laughing slows down your heart rate because of the extra oxygen you are bringing into your system and decreases stress hormones, which can restrict blood flow.

So the next time you are feeling stressed, take a minute to read a funny joke, and you can have an instant boost to your health.

Bring on the dental jokes!

If you are looking for some simple and silly jokes that you can share with your children to help bond over dental health, take a look at some of our favorites.

1. Why did the snowman go to the dentist? He wanted someone to check out his frostbite.
2. What did the judge say to the dentist? Do you swear to pull the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth?
3. What did the tooth say to the dentist as they were leaving? Will you fill me in when you get back?
4. What did the team at Sheppard Family Dental get as an award? A little plaque.
5. Where do dentists go to live when they retire? Flourida.
6. What job did the dentist have when they were in the Army? Drill sergeant.
7. Why did the kid do a dance before bed? The dentist said it was important to floss every night.
8. What is the best day to go to the dentist? Tooth-day.
9. Why did the doughnut go to the dentist? It was in need of a filling.
10. What’s a dentist’s favorite type of boat ? A tooth ferry.
11. Why did the golfer head to the dentist? He got a hole in one.
12. What is a dentist’s favorite thing to talk about? Floss-ophy.
13. What is a dentist’s favorite movie? Plaque to the Future.
14. When is the best time to go to the dentist? Tooth-hurty.
15. What dinosaur is the favorite of many dentists? Flosso-raptor.

Encourage good dental habits.

If your child likes jokes and loves to laugh, sharing funny jokes during teeth brushing time is a great way to spend a few moments bonding each day, and a good day to relieve a little stress, as well. During this time, you can remind your child about the importance of proper oral health, including brushing their teeth at least two times a day for a minimum of two minutes at a time, flossing daily, and using mouthwash with fluoride to help strengthen the enamel on their teeth.

Ensure you help your child practice proper brushing techniques by holding the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and brushing with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste in smooth circular motions. It’s also important not to press too hard on your teeth or scrub at them to avoid damaging the enamel.

Remember that many children learn by watching and copying you, so taking the time to brush your teeth with your children every day is a great way to enforce the importance of good dental habits early in their lives.

Schedule your biannual dental visit today!

If you or your child hasn’t been to Sheppard Family Dental in the last six months, make an appointment today for your dental evaluation so our team can make sure your teeth are healthy and in good condition. We’d also love to hear your favorite dental-related joke to keep us smiling throughout the day!