8 Things You Learn As An Adult With Braces
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

8 Things I've Learned After Getting Braces As A 30-Year-Old

It's not great, but it had to happen.

1116
8 Things I've Learned After Getting Braces As A 30-Year-Old

I started my orthodontic treatment shortly after turning 30 years old. I put braces on even though I thought I was too old for them. "The hills are old and they turn green," my mother told me, quoting a famous Mexican saying when I told her about my decision to submit to two years of dental torture.

Shortly after the dentist left my metal smile and my savings account empty, many people gave feedback on my treatment. "You will shortly have an artist's smile," "with straight teeth you will look like a model," or the recent joke, "you got tired of having Luis Miguel's teeth." Yes, of course, with straight teeth, I am sure I will take the throne from Bran Stark.

But let's be clear — the metal in my teeth is not for cosmetic reasons, but because my mouth was full of cavities. It all started with an innocent toothache that was relieved with a pain reliever or two — then, in the blink of an eye, everything became unbearable. Although nobody dies of a toothache, whoever suffers it wants to die.

Like many, I am part of a monstrous problem — more than 85% of Mexican adults suffer from some degree of tooth decay and more than half of the population has crooked teeth.

"Only 16% of the population has an adequate bite. Teeth that are in bad position tend to develop cavities," explained my orthodontist Patricia Trujillo, from the FES Iztacala. "It is a vicious cycle, because if you lose one tooth, the others become more unsettled, and more cavities are formed."

With the warning that I could be left with a chimuela (no teeth), I agreed to remove the cavities and proceed to the long and painful process of straightening the teeth that had been crooked for almost three decades. Three months after my braces were put on, this is what I discovered:

1. You don't make enough money to pay for braces until at LEAST 30 years old.  

If you were fortunate enough to have parents who paid for your dental care as a child, congratulations. The less fortunate had to wait longer to pay for orthodontics on their own. Orthodontics can cost 100,000 pesos — this must be added to the cleaning and other surprise fees that arise, ultimately accumulating to a debt of a quarter of a million pesos.

2. You're not the only one with braces as an adult

You think that no one suffers more than you — that you are the only one who has undergone this treatment at an "older" age, but that's not true. You magically realize that on the street, in transport, and everywhere there are people over thirty with the same dental treatment. No, you are not as special as you imagined.

3. You'll feel like a teenager again

Suddenly, you would like to behave like a child and throw a tantrum at your dentist because of the pain they cause you each visit. However, you know that you have to suck it up. Your friends will also joke about how much you look like a teenager, no matter how "adult" you are in every other aspect of your life.

4. Say goodbye to your favorite snacks

There are several prohibited foods for people with orthodontic work: popcorn, corn (corn on the cob), apples, toasted foods, and everything that has to be bitten. Going to the movies is no longer the same — you prefer to lock yourself at home to watch Netflix with a bowl of gelatin, the only food that does not cause you pain.

5. You lose some weight

After brushing your teeth, you know that you can't eat anything at the time you want, so you start planning your meals very methodically. Your snacking decreases and you may lose some weight as a result.

6. You develop new cleaning techniques

What used to take two minutes suddenly requires ten. As the weeks go by, you become more skilled with brushing, interdentals, flossing, and orthodontic wax. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!

7. You get used to the discomfort

Nothing changes without a little resistance, least of all your teeth. When you go to the office and have the brackets adjusted, you know that you will be living with pain for several days. When you finally get used to a position, you need to adjust again.

8. You learn to smile whole-heartedly

Little by little, you gain confidence in your appearance. Although at first, you thought you looked like an elderly alien, as the weeks go by you smile for photos. You may even upload selfies to your Instagram without any regrets. You really do get used to these braces on your teeth.

Report this Content
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

57937
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37321
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959000
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

192308
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments