13 Struggles only people with Crooked Teeth will understand

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

Whether you used to have crooked teeth (like me) or currently still have them... You can't deny that they are/were problematic and definitely one of your biggest insecurities ever.

We have to admit that very often, our face is the first thing others notice - which is why we all feel overly insecure about any "ugly" facial feature we might have.

Maybe not always, but at some point of time people with crooked teeth (or should I say a current teenager like myself) will probably go through that insecure & low self-esteem period of "I really hate my teeth".
I'm not sure about boys who are (I suppose) less mindful, but as a girl myself, having a set of crooked and ugly teeth was one of my biggest insecurity ever. 

If you've had (or have) a very crooked, ugly set of teeth with protruding rabbit tooth like I did, you'll probably agree with most of these struggles I've faced.


Believe me, I know how you feel, I was a kid with a huge lack of confidence in myself.




1. Low self-esteem & insecurity. (These can be caused by the criticisms around you) You are very mindful of how bad you look with crooked teeth. You are afraid of what others might say and humiliate you. And when criticisms happen often, you become more wary of yourself and this can be very detrimental to your self-esteem. (In the past, I've heard nasty criticisms on how ugly my teeth looked, and there were even people who disliked me back then because of it... WHAT..?!)


2. You super-duper hate opening your mouth.  Why? Because the minute you do so, everyone sees that crooked set of teeth hiding behind that (pretty) lips of yours.  (Look, the thing is that I've seen people comment (among themselves) on someone who is very good looking - apparently, until they see their teeth that is. You should hear for yourself the sort of nasty things they would say. No offence, but this kind of people deserve a slap in the face really.)


3. You can't smile (confidently) with your teeth when taking photos.  Simply saying, you dislike smiling in photos. Actually no, you'll always smile... With your mouth closed. No matter how much you wished you have the confidence to open them wide and show your teeth, you just can't. And when you do, you regret it after seeing the pictures. (There, your confidence level drops again. People like us sometimes even end up looking awkward in photos.)


4. You hate it when others take candid photos of you.  Be it when you are smiling, laughing, talking or eating - you just hate it because our teeth makes us look so bad, and you're afraid of having them uploaded onto social media accounts or shown to other people.


5. Laughing is another insecurity for you sometimes.  You may be someone who laughs a lot, but you'll realise that most of the times, you'll cover your mouth with your hands because you're mindful about how you look with your crooked teeth. 


6. You speak with no confidence.  Of course, why not? This is when our teeth shows all the time, which is why we hate opening our mouths unnecessarily. (You'll probably remember how you'd always speak really softly as you mumbled your way to the end of a conversation)


7. You hate doing presentations or speaking in front of a crowd.  Because everyone is staring at you. At times, your pronunciation isn't clear because of the gaps between your teeth... And you'll get people staring at you as though you were speaking in an alien language.  


8. You hate eating in front of others.  Same reason - we just hate showing our teeth. You also hate taking big mouthful of food because that means showing your teeth more. We often end up eating at the speed of a tortoise, (at least for me) 


9. You face difficulty chewing on your food.  Because of your misaligned upper and lower teeth, chewing is a chore. What's more? You can't ever enjoy that delicious & juicy chicken wing or pork ribs (with ease) without having troubles biting them down (Let's not even mention about eating crabs...)  If you have protruding front teeth, you can't even bite down on an apple for fear that they might break. Your teeth just feels so weak.


10. There's no way you can keep your lips closed together comfortably.  This is especially so if you have a protruding rabbit tooth at the front, and then sometimes you look stupid, or you'll get people asking "why are you always opening your mouth slightly?". I wished I could place them in my shoes instead.


11. Your dentist says that your teeth aren't well brushed...  When all we do is putting in endless efforts - every morning and night - to take extremely good care of them. It is so difficult to brush your teeth properly because they are all crooked in different areas!!!


12. The never ending desire for straight teeth.  Everyone just wont stop asking when you will be getting braces, when you really wished you knew. You're always imagining yourself with a pretty set of teeth. (You're probably green with envy when you look at your friends who have perfectly straight & beautiful teeth. You just can't stop staring.) 


13. Finally, that guilt you'll have when your parents are finally getting you braces.  As much as you're thankful & overjoyed, you feel really bad because they have to spend over thousands to give you the beautiful set of teeth you've always yearned for. (This is why you should always be grateful - don't forget to thank your parents for getting you braces or any treatments (if you have them) with their hard-earned money!!!)





These struggles of course, disappear after you get used to them over a period of time. There will come a time when you start to tell yourself to be more positive and be less mindful of how you look. 
As you grow older, you will definitely find friends who love you for who you are and not how you look - some may even tell you that you look cuter with your crooked teeth and how much they like it! (I've heard really kind & positive comments from my friends)
You don't have to worry because there will always be people who truly loves you, like your parents.  No parents will judge their children. 


There there... Smile confidently, confidence is what makes one beautiful!
Don't forget to love yourself, crooked teeth is nothing! What matters the most is your inner beauty. 




Thinking of getting braces? Go for it.  It may be costly, but they are definitely worth it. You may read on my experience with braces here. (Here are also some reasons why you should get it and why braces are worth your money)

If you are seeking for one that is cheaper to save some money for your parents (and if you are able to wait patiently in the queue for 1 - 2 years), go for the government subsidised package at the National Dental Centre. All I needed to do was to wait for a year plus, before it was finally my turn to go for my first braces dental appointment.




So, which one do you think is worse? 
Acne or a set of crooked teeth?  I'd choose the latter. 


Pimples and acne can be treated over time using skincare products & treatment - or whatever, you name it. Not to mention that your blemishes can be covered using makeup. (Though, even if you are experiencing any troubled skin, be confident and don't let what others say pull you down!! You are beautiful in every single way.)

A set of crooked teeth on the other hand, can take years before you finally get a braces or a treatment to make them straight and beautiful. Especially when braces are expensive, it is even more difficult for people who are financially unstable to get them.  (Not to forget that there can be other additional cost like tooth extractions or surgery, etc.)

To put on braces, we will also need to lose majority of our baby teeth and wait until most of our adult teeth have grown in. These usually occur around the ages of 8 to 14, and most kids put on braces around 10 - 12 years old these days.  But everything depends on an individual because we all grow differently at a different pace.

Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to get a braces at such a young age, neither do we lose our baby teeth all at one age quickly. 
Imagine having to live with a set of ugly & crooked teeth since a little child and all the insecurities you'll face over the years.....



Therefore, if you have a pretty & perfectly straight set of teeth, be thankful. 
You save money, and you save yourself from many struggles. So take good care of your teeth, continue smiling and don't take it for granted! Lastly, of course, don't ever make fun of people with crooked teeth because it can really hurt their self esteem. 



Make society a better place for them to smile beautifully & confidently like you!


This post is added to the tab 'Culture' which can be found under 'Other Topics'.




Related posts: 6 Great reasons why you SHOULD get braces and why braces are worth your money My experience with braces | I could finally smile