12 memories everyone who had braces will have

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Aug 12, 2014

Those of us who had to suffer through braces during our teens have this kind of silent understanding with one another. We understand what it was like.

Here are some things you will remember from your time having braces:

1. Thinking “Why ME?!” when you found out it was time to get your braces
Sometimes the world just seems so unfair. Some people are born with perfect teeth, and others need to get braces on for two and a half years.

2. The sheer pain you endured for days afterwards
The immense pain in your gums was almost unbearable. No amount of painkillers could totally numb it.

3. Drinking all of your meals for the next week
The blender and straw were your best friends. Remember surviving on a diet of yoghurt and soup?

4. Refusing to smile for ages
And when you did smile, you gave that weird, creepy grin where you tried to hide your braces so only the tops of your gums were on show.

5. Getting elastic bands attached
What a horrific idea. Whoever though of this? Bright and colourful elastic bands which pin themselves across your teeth. At least change the colour so people don’t ask you about them over and over again.

6. Fearing that you wouldn’t get to kiss anybody until you got them off
When you have braces, you think that they are the most unattractive thing in the world. But they’re not, and you quickly realised that there’s far more unattractive things than braces.

7. The great feeling when your friends got braces too
You’re not alone in this struggle! Solidarity. The glorious feeling when one of your friends gets braces too. You say nothing of course, but inside you’re weeping with happiness.

8. Running your tongue along your braces
How weird? Don’t lie, you did it.

9. Having food lodged in your braces
It was one of the worst situations about having braces. You had to try and remove the bits of food that crept into the gaps between the metal and hope that nobody noticed you doing so.

10. Getting your braces tightened
You knew it was coming but it never made it any better. The pain would resurface, as would the blender and straw…

11. Being called the worst nicknames in the world
Braceface, Train Tracks and Metal Mouth were among the worst. Then some people had the audacity to shout “CHOO CHOOOOO!”

12. The euphoria you feel when you get your braces off!
There is no better feeling in your adolescent, or indeed adult, life than the day you get your braces off. Going from trying not to smile to unleashing that glorious Hollywood grin at every opportunity is just fantastic!