I am actually really excited to write this post. Anyone who has been friends with me for over a year knows that my braces are my biggest insecurity. I dreaded having braces since the moment I found out I had to get them and the self depreciating humor has not ended ever since. This is my second time with braces and today marks the one year anniversary to when I got them on again (wow-time flies). I’m hoping that by writing this post that I can help anyone else who has adult braces feel more confident and show that it’s not the end of the world (even though I like to pretend it is).
I can’t help but notice that when I say “living with adult braces” I sound like “braces” is a terminal disease. I don’t want it to seem like that because braces are a choice and definitely not as unfortunate as a chronic illness. But when I say “dealing with adult braces” that is exactly what you do; you deal with it.
When you’re in middle school, braces are a dime a dozen and the coolest things around. When you’re in college, you just want to hide the intrusive metal in your mouth and act like they’re not there. The first time I had braces I was in 7th grade and was overjoyed to get to change the colors of my bands every 6 weeks. You can be d*** sure I got orange and purple during Halloween and red and green during Christmas. Everyone had braces back then. But I pretty much stand alone in the braces battle these days (with the exception of a few braced beauties I know). And when I first got these metal monstrosities in, my orthodontist joked that I should get my school colors-maroon and gold- as my bands. But rather than add insult to injury, I opted for the pearl color to blend in with my teeth. Which brings me to my first tip:
7th grade was a rough time…
Tip #1: Get the pearl colored bands. They blend in with the color of your teeth and make the braces less noticeable from a distance. In far away pictures, you can’t even tell I have braces when I smile. They’re also shiny and pretty, like real pearls. Personally, I’m a fan.
Tip #2: Master the soft smile: Take after Mona Lisa and learn to smile without teeth. Not only will you look mysterious/ like you just committed a murder, but you also hide the fact that you have adult braces. How fun is that? It’s like magic! Soft smiles make me feel better about taking pictures and being around people. I’m not saying you should hide your braces, but it can be a confidence booster to be in pictures where the metal in your mouth doesn’t reflect the flash of a camera. Personally, I felt more comfortable with a soft smile (before my jaw surgery) because the braces pushed my bottom jaw out more, so my underbite was crazy noticeable when I smiled with teeth.
#softsmilekween
Tip #3: Advil and Wax are your Best Friends: I think that a lot of people forget how painful braces are. Your teeth are shifting and metal wires are poking the insides of your mouth. To ease the pain, you should take Advil after you get your braces tightened and even a few days after. Your orthodontist also should have given you little packets of wax. If you feel a wire or bracket rubbing up against the side of your mouth or gums, put the wax over the problem area until your mouth adjusts to the new feeling. Don’t be brave, just do it. It’s not noticeable either!
Tip #4: Always carry around a tooth brush: You’d be surprised how often food gets stuck in your braces. I high recommend running to the bathroom after every meal just to make sure you don’t have bread or spinach lingering between your wires. Break out a mini-toothbrush if you have food in your teeth. It happens pretty much after every meal for me, no matter what I eat. So better be prepared. Also, listen to your orthodontist and don’t eat food that could damage your braces. You will just end up prolonging the process and you’re really not missing out on much. Who cares if you can’t eat popcorn or gummy worms- you’ll survive.
Honestly the best Halloween costume I have ever done. Ever.
Tip #5: Joke about it: To get through a lot of things in life, sometimes you just need a good sense of humor. Ask any of my friends and they’ll tell you how much I make fun of myself and my braces. I really recommend finding some humor in your situation and just laughing about it. “LOL I look like I’m 12”. “Jokes on you, I can’t chew gum hahaha”. Even if people poke fun at you, it is much easier to just laugh with them. Life is better when you’re laughing, especially at your misfortunes. So even when you’re in pain or feel like you’re sticking out in the worst way possible, try to see the bright side of things and don’t take yourself too seriously. I like to channel Darla from Finding Nemo. “I’M A PAR-A-NA FROM DA AMAZON”.
Tip #6: No one cares…so you shouldn’t either: I want to approach this next part hesitantly, because I feel this is important for me to bring up, but I also don’t want to sound conceited or promiscuous. But here it goes: Braces don’t scare potential suitors away. I can’t tell you how many times a guy would come up to be at a bar or party and use “I like your braces” as an one liner *eye roll*. (Because of course calling out the obvious or pointing out a major insecurity is going to make me want to talk to you…right). Braces don’t really stop you from living your normal day to day life. I’ll admit that I’ve gotten a few smooches from a few fellas over the last few months and my braces didn’t effect that at all. I feel weird admitting that because my parents are going to read this, but I know that was something I worried about when I got braces and I’m probably not the only one. So don’t assume that braces will scare off potential boo-thangs. Anyone who is intimidated by a little bit of metal is not worth your time.
It’s also important to remember that no one is not going to like you or not want to be your friend just because you have braces. Seriously. How shallow would that be? Most people had braces when they were younger and can sympathize with what you’re going through. People also get used to them very quickly and your friends will hardly notice them after a few weeks-even days. So just to sum it all up, you notice your braces more than anyone else does. I like to keep the mindset of;
“Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
That is a Dr. Seuss quote I think…Anyway, to sum it all up:
You will not have braces forever. This time will pass so quickly. Just own it. You don’t really have a choice.
**Also remember to take this experience as a blessing. Braces are expensive and you should be thankful you/your family can even afford them. So while your pride may be wounded and teeth may be sore, there are people out there who would love to suffer through braces if it meant they could have straight teeth. Be humble. Sit down.**