Why I Don’t Like Braces
Before anything else, NO – Braces are not just for rich kids wanting to accessorize their teeth. The main reason for getting braces is to straighten teeth and fix bite problems. But the process of getting these fixes requires too much time, effort, and money. Although it was according to my own accord to get braces, 4 long years later, here I am, questioning whether it was all worth it for a photo-friendly smile.
Food Restrictions
When I was only deciding on the idea of getting braces, I’ve already braced myself with the fact that I won’t be freely eating the foods I used to enjoy before. At first, it was fine, but months after? Frustration starts to kick in. It’s Christmas, all the cholesterol-inducing foods are present on your dining table. And you’re just there, looking, can’t eat, filled with envy and regret. The Lechon is right in front of you biting a red, fresh-looking apple. And here I am, can’t even take a fulfilling bite on a single apple, let alone on the crispy, brown, and juicy skin and meat of the Lechon.
Do you think that ends there? Having braces means you won’t be able to eat all those crunchy, chewy, sticky, and hard foods without the fear of one of your brackets falling off. You’re restricted from biting directly on an apple, corn on the cob, and even chewing bubble gum is something you have to really think about.
Inconvenient and Uncomfortable
Having braces means you should prepare yourself for a lot of restroom breaks after a meal outside. After all, you don’t want to talk and smile to your friends with food particles stuck between your metal braces. The feeling of knowing you have food stuck between your teeth is already uncomfortable enough, now imagine how it’ll feel when those foods cling unto dear life and refuse to leave your teeth alone.
The feeling of constantly having to worry about whether something is stuck between my brackets is fueling up my anxiety. Having food stuck is one thing, but removing them without dental floss is a nightmare.
Mouth Problems
Technically speaking, braces should help reduce oral problems. However, that’s not entirely the case for some. Surely, everyone must have experienced having a canker sore every once and a while. Now imagine those sores constantly being poked by the metal brackets of your braces. It’s really painful. Although there is wax dedicated to covering the brackets directly in front of the canker sore, it’s not to say foolproof. Sometimes, I would accidentally ingest those wax whenever it is attached to my brackets.
Expensive
All the money that has gone to my braces could have been used for other important matters. The expenses of having braces shouldn’t be underestimated. It varies from doctor to doctor but in my case, the minimum payment I have to make every month is around 1,500 pesos, and would sometimes go as high as 2,500 pesos depending on the state my braces are in. Adjustment alone costs 1,500, and one missing bracket warrants 500 pesos. It’s expensive and impractical for most. Therefore I really wouldn’t recommend getting one except for those who really require teeth correction.
Having braces is not simply aesthetic and cool like others perceive it to be; it’s a commitment. If you’re not prepared for the risk and inconvenience it can pose, don’t even try, or else you’ll end up like me. Regretting and sighing over the lost time and money.
