From A Gap-Toothed Blogger

I wasn’t going to write anything about this, but to be honest, it’s still making me feel angry.

Huh? What the hell are you talking about Hols? Well, if you missed me having a good old rant about it on Twitter last week, a company (who shall remain nameless but amusingly rhymes with crappy and vile) decided to run a poll. This poll in fact.

 

Gap tooth poll.jpg

It had been quote tweeted by one of my Twitter friends who were pulling the company up on it.

It immediately caught my eye, and as someone who has a prominent gap between my front teeth, I found this poll more than a little insensitive and very rude; not to mention extremely unprofessional.  Apart from anything else, the company don’t even make or sell braces so it’s not like there was some sort of misguided attempt to try to sell their products.

In 2016, I don’t get why polls like these about any “imperfections” are still a thing?  And, as for setting a good example to young people, there are so amazing “gap-toothed” celebrities out there; Madonna, Georgia May Jagger, Anna Paquin, Elijah Wood, Arnie and Woody Harrelson just to name a few!

I’ve never particularly liked my gap.  I’ve had it ever since I was little, probably because I used to suck my thumb all the time.  I did have braces when I was 14 but after I got them taken off I started sucking my thumb again and didn’t wear my retainer properly so my teeth gradually moved back to their original positions.

Gap tooh braces.jpg

And I’ll let you in on a secret; if I had the money, then yeah, I’d probably get braces to fix them again.  Because of polls like that.  Because of companies, brands, and websites who tell us all what beauty should look like and how awful we are if we don’t want to aspire to it.

For years I’ve closed my mouth when smiling for photos and although I never put my hand over my mouth when talking or laughing, I do always wonder what people think when they see it.  Especially because you wouldn’t know to look at the social media photos I generally post.  I’ve had to search through my Facebook photos to find photos of me smiling with my mouth open.  And I don’t feel hugely confident at blog events in case someone snaps a pic of me and my gap.

But you know what?  Why should I feel bad about it?  Other people love my gap.  I’ve had so people over the years say that it’s quirky, cute, even sexy.  So perhaps it’s time to embrace it.

Gap tooth photo.jpg

Oh and just for the giggles, when I sent a tweet to the company about why they’re running the poll, this is the reply I got.  I thought you might enjoy the laugh, I know I did.  I’m glad they clarified we’re not North Korea. I was getting worried.

Gap tooth reply.jpg

Inevitably though, the tweets have since been deleted.  Oh and I’ve also been blocked from their Twitter account.  Ah well.  Looks like my work here is done for now!

Do you have a gap in your teeth?  Are you a fan of the look?  Let me know in the comments below 🙂 x

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24 Comments

  1. I still suck my thumb, never stopped, and find the gap makes a comfy habit even better as my teeth are shaped for my thumb perfectly. I think gaps are good. 🙂

      1. Yes you’re right. Not sure if you can see it in my photo here. Well, you’re also correct to “embrace” them for whatever reason you choose. I can’t get orthodontia anyway since it wouldn’t work for me so I have no choice.

          1. Well, maybe you shouldn’t. Consider, where else can you find a habit that’s free, legal, without calories or drugs, quiet, aids in sleep and concentration, is convenient and non-intrusive and more? It’s all worth it! 🙂

  2. I couldn’t believe this ‘campaign’ … What a joke. I hope the poor excuse for a social media manager got a bollocking for this ridiculously negative tweet. I hate companies who try to sell anything through exploiting people’s insecurities. I think you’re super pretty and can’t get over that black and white photo! Beautiful.

    http://fourcatsplusus.co.uk – Amy x

  3. This is too much, an example for young people really? If they wanted to do a poll it probably could have been done a little better.

  4. I can’t believe how rude the company was?! I mean we’re not North Korean, what the hell?!! Jesus. People like this drive me nuts. You just know there’s some ass sitting behind that ‘brand’ screen. Anyways, teeth gaps are good. When I was little mine was so big I could put a pound in it. Which I used to do because it made me laugh. When I stopped doing it it got much smaller (who would have known!) haha xx

    1. I still can’t work out what they were trying to achieve!
      Ha. I think I can probably almost get a pound in between mine! It closes up a bit at night but opens up more during the day! Xx

  5. I was fuming when I see them at this nonsense. I would’ve naturally had a gap – not from sucking my thumb etc, it’s just the way my teeth were – my sister is the same. I liked it, I think it made me unique. Of course accidents and braces later, no gap. However my niece has the same gap and I love it. As you know I took umbrage with it – my tweets have been deleted and I’ve also been blocked. Silly people. Well done for shouting about it.

    Honestly Aine

  6. The thing that gets me in all this is the “role model for young kids??” question. How does the natural placing of ones teeth make you a bad role model? Clearly the people they had doing this poll / debate has no idea what a role model means or signifies.
    Although their response to your tweet was highly amusing! I wonder who they have next on their firing list? I don’t have a gap in my teeth but I do have an exceedingly large forehead, maybe I’m a bad example for kids too? Uh-oh!

  7. This is quite literally the most insane thing ever! As a fellow gap-tooth blogger it’s such an insensitive poll? And does a tooth gap really make any difference at all to a model, really?! I’ve always been really fortunate and told I have a lovely smile so I’ve never wanted to close my gap. Never saw the point as it wasn’t affecting the rest of my teeth.

    Now I want to find them on twitter!! Ha ha.

    By the way, your smile is beautiful!

    Love

    Rachel // http://illustratedteacup.com

    1. Yep, tell me about it! I just don’t understand the mentality behind it. And like my boyfriend said, it’s not like kids are doing dangerous things in order to create a gap to look like the models with gaps. It’s something that just happens.
      For the record, your smile is beautiful too 🙂 x

  8. From a fellow gap toothed blogger that tweet is awful! I hadn’t seen it around but I can’t believe it’s even a question anyone would ask! I’ve been exactly the same as you – always smiling with my mouth closed for photos until very recently when I just thought f*** it I should just embrace it! I would look like me without it anyway!
    Amy xx
    http://www.callmeamy.co.uk

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