I still catch myself thinking about it sometimes, but then I remember how expensive dental stuff is and just try to move on.
I totally get where you’re coming from. My kid’s got a pretty gummy smile and used to ask if we could “fix” it, especially after seeing photos. We actually talked to our dentist—turns out the cost for gum contouring is wild, and like you said, insurance doesn’t usually help unless it’s a medical need. I don’t know how anyone swings that unless they’re loaded.
I do think you’re right about quirks making people memorable. My daughter’s friends say her big grin is her “signature,” so maybe what we see as flaws are things other people love? Still, it’s hard not to focus on it when social media zooms in on every detail.
Do you find your feelings change over time? Some days my kid seems fine with it, others not so much. Honestly, I wish there was less pressure to look “perfect” in the first place...
Honestly, I think social media’s made everyone way too self-conscious about stuff like this. I get hyper-focused on my own smile in pics sometimes, but when I look at other people, I barely notice their “flaws.” It’s wild how our brains just zoom in on ourselves. My cousin’s got a super gummy grin and she used to hate it, but now she rocks it and even jokes that it makes her look extra happy. Her confidence actually rubs off on people.
I totally relate to what you said about feelings changing day to day. Some mornings I’ll catch myself nitpicking, then later I see a meme or something and forget all about it. It’s like, the more you try to chase “perfect,” the less fun life gets. All these filters and editing apps just mess with your head after a while.
If your kid’s friends already love her smile, that says a lot. Most of the time, people remember the energy behind a smile way more than the shape of it. And yeah, dental work is crazy expensive—unless there’s an actual health reason, I’d rather spend that cash on something fun.
Most of the time, people remember the energy behind a smile way more than the shape of it.
That really hits home. I’ve always been super anxious about my own smile—mine’s definitely on the “gummy” side and I used to avoid showing teeth in photos. It’s weird, because when I look at old pics now, I just see how happy I was, not my gums at all. But in the moment, it felt like everyone would notice and judge.
I had my first dentist appointment in years recently (was dreading it), and even brought up my smile to the hygienist. She just shrugged and said half her patients worry about something similar but most people don’t notice unless you point it out. That made me realize how much energy I waste worrying.
Honestly, you’re right about dental work being expensive unless there’s a real reason. I kept thinking about doing something “just in case,” but now I’m like… why? If my friends and family don’t care, maybe I can learn to chill about it too. Still have anxious days but trying to focus more on just enjoying moments instead of nitpicking every photo.
I get where you’re coming from, but I actually ended up getting a second opinion after my dentist brushed off my concerns. For me, it wasn’t just about looks—I had some gum sensitivity and my bite felt off. The second dentist explained there are options (like minor gum contouring) that aren’t always crazy expensive, depending on your case. Did your hygienist check for any underlying issues, or was it more of a “don’t worry about it” thing? Sometimes peace of mind is worth exploring, even if you don’t end up doing anything.
Sometimes peace of mind is worth exploring, even if you don’t end up doing anything.
That’s a really fair point. I do think it’s easy to underestimate how much a small concern can bug you day-to-day. But I’d just say, sometimes what feels like gum sensitivity can be from brushing too hard or even stress-related clenching, not always something that needs a procedure. I’ve seen folks jump into treatments when a tweak in routine or a bit of reassurance would’ve done the trick… not saying that’s your case, but it happens more than people realize.