BEING FEMALE AND HAVING TEETH

BEING FEMALE AND HAVING TEETH

Last week, my cracked two front teeth were finally corrected. Nothing made me more insecure than being close to someone and wondering if the person I was talking to could see them and judge me. In the photos, you can see how I tucked my top lip inside my bottom lip. I was videotaped the other week, and there I was, letting my guard down. When I laughed, I exposed my front teeth. I was mortified. My friend told me she could see nothing. 

We are fortunate to have dental insurance, and I won’t complain anymore. 

We’ve also had the same dentist for years, yet during this appointment, I noticed–for the second time–that two young women were busy restoring my confidence.

(My friend asked me, “How do you know?” I know they identify as women because they told me. A long story.)

I raised my hand–the signal to stop–and told the two young dentists that neither my husband nor I had ever had a male dentist in this office.

We all broke into laughter. 

I told them a story about my age and having all male dentists. I was genuinely proud of them, and it seemed like a big deal.

Then both told me about their lives, too.  They both knew it was a big deal being dentists and that they had broken a glass ceiling.  One told me her husband, a dentist, was the only male in his graduating class!

At some point, they went back to fixing my teeth, which look beautiful now. I can give a toothy smile.