braces and your social life?

[danish]

Hi everybody.

Has your social life changed since you were braced?
Are there activities which you used to do that you either do not do anymore or do not do as often as before you were braced?
Have your braces affected your social interaction negatively e.g. going out, dating, talking to strangers, etc?

Looking forward to hearing your experiences.

Danish

[Faerydust]

Other than sometimes staying in when my teeth are super sore, my braces haven't affected my social life at all. I don't have any braces related self-consciousness. If anything I smile more now than before braces because I know I'm doing something to improve my smile.

[dubnobass]

I'd like to be able to report that being braced has made no difference to my self-esteem, but cannot; I remain self-conscious about my braced teeth and hate showing them, and always feel as though people must notice them (whether they actually do or not). This has made me feel far less sociable than I used to be and I pretty much make no effort to try to look attractive as it seems pointless. It also doesn't really matter how much people try to re-assure me otherwise. I just can't feel good about the way I look in braces, and it makes me want to hide away.

I think most other people have a far more positive attitude to their treatment than I do, though. Good job mine will be coming off in a month or two, then!

[TheNewEmperor]

For me: no change.

I can sometimes see people get a little 'freaked' when they realise I have a full set of braces but I don't care...I just smile that little bit more...

[dagwoman]

I don't drink red wine or yellow foods like curry as much anymore, but apart from that, that's about it. They haven't really affected me socially, I guess a little bit with dating. I forget about them when I'm with people, but then sometimes I'll remember and have the whole doubtful "I must look so stupid in braces" thought, but I do my best to brush it away (I just read that back, and no, the pun was not intended). My teeth are looking great, and I just have to remind myself about how good they'll look when I'm done!

[OverJetSet]

i am partnered so no change in dating -- big trouble otherwise however i am not self-conscious at all, even with my lisp-inducing turbos. i find myself smiling more at strangers. it seems to really disarm them and i get warm responses. i am a typical new englander, so this is rather out of character. not sure why i do it.

i certainly understand how it would affect what you eat and drink with people you don't know as well. i love veggies but the little green morsels nestle quite happily in my braces until i evict them. my friends are used to me pulling out my little mirror to check and then doing the water-swishing trick right there at the table. i would be reluctant to do that with new acquaintances. but it seems that strategic eating beforehand & no red wine would help resolve some problems.

best,
donna (43 yo)

[micachica]

One of my long time friends actually asked me out on a date AFTER my braces were placed! I think I'm just that much more fun to be around cause I don't feel like a bucked tooth beaver anymore! I hate eating out just because I can't smile until I finish my food and brush my teeth so I always feel like people think I'm not enjoying myself! Kissing is another issue, I've broken a bracket or two because my elastics pull on my brackets when my mouth is open And there is the occasional sore spot from the brackets rubbing against mouth tissue with more vigor than is usually applied. Braces RULE! haha. Social life is a-okay!

[SnowSara]

Has your social life changed since you were braced?

No, they didn't affect me in the slightest. I didn't really pay much attention myself to the fact I had braces so I think when I met people they got that vibe from me. Although I was curious to see if I would notice a difference after they were removed, but no... nothing really changed during, or after. I've gotten compliments on my new smile, but for the most part only from those who are close to me and knew I had braces.

If anything, I honestly feel a little less "special" now, at least braces made me unique! I'd rather have my new smile though!!

[Flaka]

It hasn't changed for me. Is not like I had a "social life" before I got braces. My social life is spending time with my son, cooking and going to the gym after work. I really don't have energy for more.

As far as dating goes; I have been with my boyfriend for 2 years and at the beginning I was a little self conscious and even afraid he would not find me attractive anymore, but that isn't the case, he still tells me how beautiful I am and blah blah, so I am pretty happy

I think what is making me anti-social is working 8-9 hours in front of a computer. I can say: Braces didn't make me anti-social but Computers did

[rolo]

I have upper linguals so not ever so obvious. At first I make more of an effort with my apperance now, to compensate for my teeth, which I noticed more since having braces. I'm sure I will feel better as my teeth improve. The only thing that is a bit tricky is the work curry night, had something else on at the last one and opted out, don't know what I will do next time, just not sure I would enjoy it as much whilst worrying all would turn yellow.

[CactusZAF]

The only way having braces has affected my social life is that when eating out I find myself calculating "time to my next adjustment" before ordering anything with garlic (or other potentially offensive smelly foods) as I'm really paranoid about having smelly breath (or exposing anyone in a position to hurt me to my bad breath). Otherwise no impact at all.

[rolo]

PS is there any way to eat curry without ligatures turning bright yellow?

[Gennel]

You know right before I got braces I was worried about this and what would people think. About a month before my braces were on I told my whole family,expecting for them to tell me " Are you crazy!? But all of them were supportive except one that thought it was a waste of money.

I was very shy when talking to people,didnt want to laugh too much or avoided smiling too much. I HATED taking pictures and in fact did not have a family portrait because of my smile. Now I have forgotten that I have braces on and smile all the time.Every single picture I am in now ,I have a HUGE smile!My husband always ,always compliments me on my smile and the beautiful transformation these little brackets have achieved I truly believe if you feel it's a big issue then everyone else might make it an issue. People usually just keep talking to me once they see my braces . If I'm comfortable then so are they.

There really isn't anything that I have stopped doing because of braces.The only time I'd say I stay home is the first day after a painful adjustment just because I'm so sore. Maybe age is a factor also. I know there are a few younger friends and family that now admit to me that they really need braces for their bite or usually crowding in the lower teeth but won't get braces because they are embaressed that someone will see they have braces on their lower teeth! You can barely see the lower braces first of all. I noticed these people are younger than me, in their late teens and twenties. I'm in my late 30's


By the way , we now have several family portraits hanging on the walls finally


Gennel

[MsVarlene]

I don't let the fact that I wear braces ruin my life. I have a great social life and I enjoy every minute of it.

[Luella]

I work in the dental field, so I'm sure that braces will affect my life less than most people- a lot of my patients have braces, and can therefore relate to me! I have warned my husband that I'm not going to be able to kiss very enthusiastically for a few days/weeks after brace day, and that we're not allowed to have various food items around the house- corn on the cob, doritos, bubblicious bubble gum, etc. We'll see how it affects me when I get there! (13 days to go!!! and I had corn on the cob for dinner!)