Shut up

[Bracedforbraces]

I just wanted to share with you what happened to me this morning. It's a classic example of when you want to tell someone to 'shut up' before they dig a deeper hole for themselves.

I had a meeting with the nurse at work ( I have been off work after a minor op, not tooth related, and need to keep seeing her to assess when I'm fit to return to work).

I noticed her looking at my mouth when I was speaking so I showed her my new braces. Her response? 'ooh maybe it's just as well you are still off so people won't see them', I dryly said to her that I would be wearing them for 18 months.

At this point she had the opportunity to SHUT UP as the offence had been done, but noooo she tried to back pedal by saying 'oh well people will surely get used to them, I bet you feel like you need to drink lots of water don't you, to stop your mouth getting all dry and yucky'. By this point I was feeling like a right freak, this nurse is a nice lady and I know she wasn't being a cow

Do any of you have any good come backs for silly people who presume you should be upset or ashamed if your braces?

[kennyandrew85]

When i tell people or show people I have braces, the most common reaction is they start hiding their own teeth and get really self conscious.

The best comeback is not rising to any comments like that. Knowing your teeth will be better than everyone else's when you're finished!

[kellyb]

wow, she was being very rude. i would kindly tell her to concentrate on the reason i am seeing her and if i need any advice, i will ask for it!

[Sita]

Ah the joys of people who mean well but just end up offending, annoying or just plain looking stupid. My Aunt is one of those people. The day after I got my braces I had to listen to her prattle on about my braces and how they should feel and how they would work and what I could expect because she knew all about it and what I was going through because she had just gotten a partial denture. You know, because braces and partial dentures are exactly the same. She meant well and I didn't bother correcting her since it would have made her start arguing. I was getting over a migraine so that was the last thing I wanted.

I haven't yet had many people say anything requiring a snappy comeback. Mainly just had to point out that I still have teeth therefore I am not too old for braces.

I hope that you feel better soon and can get back to work.

[wildpig]

Wow, guess I am lucky i never got any long lecture about it. Some people don't even say anything to me at all. Only when I brought it up did the conversation started for about a few minutes at most.. I have not one negative comment yet. The only comment I have so far been positive....

Oh well, maybe there were possibly some bad comments behind my back? Guess I can't eliminate that possibility. But then again, do i really care? not really...

[kellyb]

i have also been lucky whereby i haven't had any negative feedback to my braces so far. although, i haven't seen any of my family members and friends since i got them. so far it has only been work colleagues, bf and strangers. at my workplace for instance, everyone here either had braces in the past or have been thinking about it so they have all been totally understanding.

[Huggypillow]

A simple line of " its better to be thought an idiot then to open your mouth and remove all doubt" usually get them to stop and think.

My cousin seemed to have pleanty to say but i stopped her midway way with, " oh so when you had plastic surgery on you nose because you didnt like it , did that cost much?" .

And she thought i forgot about her little plastic surgery phase. Haha she was a little embarassed.

Mostly everyone that knows is very caring towards me in fact my friends send me a text when they know ive been to the ortho saying that they hope im not in too much pain, which is nice.

And my darling hubby usually gives me a foot rub, the thing is when im done i might have to fake sore feet to have the foot rubs continue.

[ashesgap]

Why do people assume we're horrible embarrassed to have braces? I've never once not smiled because of them, it doesn't matter who I'm talking to. And when I've had an awful adjustment I'm still "pleasant" to strangers at the Commissary, even though I'm not really a "people person". And I have no problem meeting the people from my husbands new squadron, even though lately they seem younger and freaking younger.
We as a group should come up with a universal come back, something that says "Suck it" without actually being so....rude. Then when we're all saying it, they'll get the point that they were just rude, even if they didn't know it.

[TMJJill]

I guess I've been lucky. I've had my upper braces for over 6 months now and not one stupid thing has been said to me. In fact, most people haven't even paid attention to the fact I even have braces.

If faced with comments like that, I think my answer would really depend on who it was who said it. For most people, it really is none of their business so I'd just blow it off. For the rest, I might just talk their ear off right back..... I know they really don't care and won't want to hear it.

[Bracedforbraces]

Hehe your stories are funny, thank you. So far this is the first negative comment I've had but it really annoyed me that she presumed I would be ashamed of them. If I'd been quicker off the mark I should have requested being signed off on full pay until I had them removed

[klobird]

Ha ha ha ha ha....that's really funny Braced!!! That would have stopped here in her tracks!!

[marybee]

The comments haven't been negative, at least not in front of me. I really don't care what is said behind my back since it's none of my business anyway! And, i've had a few people tell me my braces make me look younger - WOO HOO!! They are a great ice breaker, too. kennyandrew85 is right, I also notice people will either cover their mouth or act really self conscious. You'll have the best comeback when you flash that wonderful, straight teeth smile!

[vegathestar]

Ughh! I had similar experiences with rude people. For instance, one of my friend told me to "stop giving a wide smile' because she thinks my braces are disgusting-looking.
She even said something like, "Maybe you should just shut up so people can't see your braces."

Well, I don't really care though ha.

[conine]

In the 16 months I was braced, I had two people make comments to me. The first involved a Judge asking me from the bench "Why the Hell would you get braces at your age?" I responded that I wanted to look as handsome as him. The other attorneys in the courtroom burst out laughing. (He was a bit pompous and arrogant as a Judge).

Another involved a bankruptcy client of mine who asked me if I "liked" having braces. My co-counsel and I just gave a strange stare at each other and moved on to the next part of the consult.