Do You ever?

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#1 Post by **iBorg** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:22 pm

Do you ever see someone who's an adult who is attractive except their teeth are terrible and want to say, "Here's my ortho's business card. They give fre consults."

I know....bad Mike-Mike.....BAD.

Mike

#2 Post by **platinum** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:28 pm

Yes!

One guy in my last job had so baaaad teeth. There is probably still a big cavity on his upper front tooth. His teeth are very yellow as well, he does not probably brush them at all. He has acne, and probably not taking care of his skin, it is so bad.

I have been planing to send an anonymous email to tell him.

#3 Post by **Betty Bat** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:08 pm

Well, it's not "bad, Mike", but it's kind of sad. Before you do something like this, think about how you would feel in the same situation. Would you want someone saying those kind of things to you or sending you anonymous email (and, Platinum, it's really hard to keep email anonymous. If you know about computers, you can often find out more than the sender intended to tell you).

Betty
(cavity in my upper front tooth and yellowing teeth from drinking coffee for many, many years)

#4 Post by **NotBob1** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:15 pm

I wouldn't give him a card, but maybe leave one on his desk.....

#5 Post by **platinum** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:18 pm

It is just only me. Everybody is speaking about his teeth behind his back.
I just would like to help him to get it fixed.

#6 Post by **NotBob1** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:23 pm

It won't work. Some people just don't care about that type of thing. Just like some people have absolutely nasty newer cars and others have older cars that are in perfect condition. It's just the way this guy is, unfortunately.

#7 Post by **lionfish** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 2:38 pm

Yes, I see plenty of adults who have other than perfect teeth, but ultimately the decision to do anything about it - or not - rests with the individual. Handing out a card is crossing the line, in my opinion.

#8 Post by **NotBob1** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:06 pm

I think that they were talking about an extreme situation, not just less than perfect. You are right, it is crossing the line....It is best to let them come to the realization themselves. I don't think anyone would seriously hand someone a card....We were just talking......

At least I was.... (I should not speak for others!)

#9 Post by **ngbraces** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:07 pm

Sure I thought about that, but I think if someone looks at my flat chest

, then gives me a card and says: "Here is a cosmetic doctor. He gives free consult..."

Nope! I don't want that backfire!

#10 Post by **platinum** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:55 pm

I would not tell anyone to get teeth straight, but if someone has a 2mm times 3mm cavity on their front teeth, I would like to tell the person to get it fixed...

#11 Post by **platinum** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:14 pm

This was kind of interesting thing what happened to me:

I was having dinner with my so called friends a couple months ago.
One got a huge salad piece stuck to his front tooth. He did not notice it, so I mentioned that to him. The others were quite suprised that I said something!!!! I would be happy if someone would say to me that i have something between my teeth.

#12 Post by **NotBob1** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:32 pm

I think Meryaten is correct. Given it some more thought, it really is none of anyone else's business as long as it does not affect others. The BO, affects others.

The salad, on the other hand.....I think that is a friendly gesture and I would appreciate it if someone let me know if I had half of my dinner in my braces....

#13 Post by **cowlypso** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:48 pm

Well, salad in one's teeth, a skirt back tucked in one's undies, toilet paper stuck to one's shoe, the unzipped zipper... These are all just embarrasing situations that happen to all of us. The difference between these and, say, crooked teeth?

A person probably knows that they have crooked teeth. They either don't feel that they are crooked enough to warrant treatment, don't care about it, or don't want to take care of it now. Or, maybe they don't know. Maybe this person hasn't recognized his overjet and is perfectly confident with his teeth the way they are. But if you tell him, then he might spend years feeling self-conscious about it before either learning to live with it or getting it fixed.

The other situations, on the other hand, the person probably doesn't know about. These are the little things that we would all like to know about so we can fix. Surely, as soon as a person notices these things on their own, they would fix them anyway. It's not that the person thinks that there's just no issue with walking around with lettuce in his teeth, it's that he doesn't know it's there. And, of course, as soon as you inform the person of the unfortunate situation, it can be immediately rectified. No expense or professional help needed.

I actually vote for not saying anything about the teeth. I myself lived many years quite content with my teeth. I never worried about them, never thought anything about them, never disliked them... Then one year my mother sent me an electric toothbrush for my birthday. The note in the card said that it might help with my yellow teeth. Yellow teeth? I didn't know I had yellow teeth! I thought my teeth looked just fine. I became horribly self-conscious about that. Not too long after that, my mother said something about my overjet. Overjet? What overjet? Apparently, she'd been discussing my crooked teeth with the dentist for years. Never mentioned it to me. So I went on, happy as a clam, thinking that I had a beautiful smile. Until I found out the truth. Stopped smiling for quite a while after that...

#14 Post by **manglemouth** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:51 pm

I don't think Mike meant to suggest that handing out a business card would be a good idea. I can relate to the thought/wish though. I had fairly bad adult acne that I got cleared up by my dermatologist. So now when I see people with bad acne, I know how they most likely feel about it and I often wish there was a polite way of telling them that a dermatologist could fix it for them, or at least help it get better. I don't think there is anything bad about that as it stems from a wish to help that person. Naturally I would never say anything unless it is a really good friend of mine because obviously noone would appreciate that suggestion. But I also feel that way about teeth now. When I see someone with perfectly healthy, but very crooked teeth, I want to say that an ortho can fix that. There are people (my mom is one) who think adult teeth won't move anymore.

So to sum this up, yes I have thought the same thing many times. But would I ever say anything? Never.

#15 Post by **platinum** » Sun Jan 28, 2007 5:55 pm

It is so sad to see his front tooth rottening away. I think it will break someday soon. We have had discussions how to say this to him.
The cavity is not just dark spot, it is black , and really noticiable.
We haven't said anything, because nobody knows what/how to tell him.
Just hoping that he will get tooth ache and is forced to go dentist...