I love to smile! I love to laugh! I love to joke around (as you can read in one of my other blogs)! My smile is big and my laugh is loud. I’m not ashamed of my smile… anymore, so I will share it with the rest of the world. This used to be different. So when people ask me why I smile, there’s a lot more to the answer than a simple: because I’m happy! And here’s why…
When I was little my uncle called me Bugs Bunny. I couldn’t be bothered. I really liked Bugs Bunny, so I didn’t feel weird about it. However when my classmates, teammates and random kids from my block started to call me Bugs Bunny too, it started to ache. To paint a picture, with my jaw being very narrow pushing my big front teeth forward, a bunny comment was quickly made. And if you think it can’t get any worse. It did… When I was 10 years old I fell on my face and broke both of my front teeth. The temporary fix was just fine, but I couldn’t wait to start fixing my teeth, my smile, my face.
“SMILE WHILE YOU STILL HAVE TEETH”
The day I got my braces I was over the moon. Eventhough it looked even worse, I saw the bigger picture. Nice, straight teeth. My obsession with broad jawlines and Colgate smiles only grew further and further. I did everything my orthodontist asked me and more to hopefully speed up the process. It took 3 years to get my teeth straight, but I wasn’t done yet. My temporary fixed front teeth started to change colour and once I was 21 years old I could finally get facings.
The procedure was horrible. Not because it hurt, that’s why they invented anesthetics. But because it felt like they were tearing down my dream to get this amazing smile. And they litarely did. They took all that was left of my front teeth to be able to place the facings. And once they did, my dream was shattered, crushed, smashed. I instantly hated my teeth, my smile, my face. It didn’t look anything like before, as they said it would. It didn’t look anything like I pictured, because they told me it would. It didn’t look anything like a Colgate smile, as they promised it would. Being young and traumatized by the procedure, I didn’t dare to say anything…
“FROM DAILY HATING MY SMILE TO LOVING IT EVERY SECOND”
Five years passed where I hated my teeth every single day. They were too big and thick and the colouring didn’t match. Hi Bugs Bunny, welcome back! My family and friends who knew about my struggles with my teeth, tried to convince me it wasn’t that bad. In fact, most of the people never even really noticed it. But for me, every look in the mirror was a reminder I was unhappy. My obsession with a Colgate smile grew even further and further. And I thought I’d reached my lowest point, until I visited a new dentist for a totally different matter. The first thing he asked me; “Who did your front teeth?” For him to point it out so straight forward it hit me: I really hate my teeth!
There was no reason to replace my teeth, other than me hating them. And I did. The procedure was horrible. Again. The stress whether or not this time the result would be better, it was horrible. It took forever and ever and I didn’t dare to look.
For the big reveal I brought my mom. I didn’t want to settle for less again and I knew she could see straight away how I felt about it. I looked in the mirror and tears filled my eyes. I was amazed! I finally had my own Colgate smile! It was love at first sight and every sight after that! Bye bye, Bugs Bunny!
“PERFECT DOESN’T EXIST, BUT THIS IS REALLY CLOSE!”
So, why do I smile? To show off my amazing smile! I do know perfect doesn’t exist, but this is really close! I love to smile, to laugh, to joke around! My smile is even bigger and my laugh (if possible) louder! Finally my smile represents my joy, my happiness, myself.
If you ever wonder why I’m smiling, I get it. There’s always something unsaid when people smile. But isn’t that also the beauty of a smile?
“WHY DO YOU SMILE?!”
