First time I've felt embarrassed....

[davidspd]

Hi Lisa65, just had to add my support and say unfortunately some people are just jerks. I work in the NHS and had a young (19) patient who i'd only just met say to me "I didn't think you could have braces when you were OLD" (i'm only 43 and like yourself generally look younger). No witty reposte from me either sadly.

[KARESS]

When I had to wear elastics 24/7 one of my co workers said I looked like a geek..I guess I looked at him like before I could stop myself & he changed his mind and was like "just kidding"

That's the only time someone said something negative about my braces.
This one girl usually calls me "braceface" but she does it jokingly.

But the waiter was out of order
you are good to handle the situation the way that you did
I might have gotten rude with him, lol.

[Gennel]

A bit late?
my response " Better late than never, I'd like to order please?"

That was a bit too many negative/sarcastic questions .
I've only had 1 person in 27 months ask me "What made you decide to get braces now? My answer was the truth " Because I finally have the money to do something about it now" Actually it made the person asking ,feel uncomfortable lol not me

Gennel

[Jill52]

Hi Lisa and all, hilarious suggestions and what you might have said! I'll try and remember some of them.

I've got a ticket to visit England and France again for Christmas, but I'm actually going to change it for the very reason you talk about. I had half the village youth in England making fun of me when I visited last June - why would you bother at your age kind of comments (I'm 52). I didn't get too upset by it, but now in hindsight and with the choice, I'm going to wait until my braces are off next summer.

It is such a contrast over here in California. Just last week someone at work noticed for the first time and said something along the lines of - hey that's great, good for you. That's the standard response over here, which of course is very nice and encouraging.

[Lisa65]

Oh Jill, don't let one rude waiter in one Indian restaurant in one small town put you off your trip. I work in a secure unit for mentally ill offenders - rapists, murderers, arsonists and worse - and not one of them has ever said anything rude! One of them even asked me how much they'd cost, because he wanted to save up to get them when he got out.

Normally people do not say anything. They might look twice, but our typical British reserve means that mostly, people are too polite to comment.

[Kerry]

I've had braces for just over 2 years now, and I've got so used to them that I never think about the reactions of other people anymore. Plus I've only ever had either interested or positive comments.

But tonight, we went out for a curry because my husband is going away tomorrow for work until the end of Oct. The young Indian waiter (he was about 20) looked at me and said
"You've got braces on"
"Yes......"
"Bit late, isn't it? Don't people normally get them when they're about 12"
"Well, my parents couldn't afford them when I was 12"
"Yeah, but it would've been free on the NHS, wouldn't it?"
"Well, when I was 12, braces were pretty much unheard of...."
"oh, I guess you're talking about like.....ages ago......OK" and off he went.

I am 43 but look maybe 35 in a good light. But it made me wonder, does everyone in the UK who notices braces on an adult think "They are wasting their time and money at their age?"

I'm not good at thinking up witty remarks and he caught me unawares because people normally do not comment at all.

So was he just exceptionally tactless and am I just being exceptionally insecure in letting what he said get to me? Or was he saying what most people think, but are too polite to say? It just made me wonder, that's all. I'm doing this for me, and I'll have a nice smile at the end of it (I hope) but I don't want to be a laughing stock while I'm in the process.

I guess I'm just extra sensitive cos of hubs going away.

Personally i think alot more people should sort there teeth out, just because your an adult its doesnt mean you shouldnt have braces.

we should follow america a little more and people should really start worrying about there teeth and want to improve them, it shouldnt be something that is embarrasing it should be something you are proud of afterall whos goign to look stunning at the end of it all not them but you !