Black Women Share How They Learned To Embrace Their Gap Teeth

Pamela Holmes

The definition of "embrace" is having a knowledge of the good, bad, and the ugly, then accepting every aspect that comes with it. That's what it took for me to embrace my smile.

I had to be faced with the ugly and the bad to humbly embrace the good. It's no secret that I have a gap and overbite. I mean it's not like I haven't tried to fix my teeth. I had to wear braces throughout my entire high school career. So being called "brace-face," "track-mouth," and even "mush-mouth" and still no perfect teeth, it was a sign that I should maybe keep it. So instead of trying to get rid of it, I embraced it.

I started showing my gap more during a photo shoot and sooner than later it became a trademark. Now it's one of the reasons I get booked as a model. So if it's any advice I could give to anyone who's struggling with a feature that may not fit "society's norm," remember society's norm does not have to be a norm for you.

Do not be shaped by society and its perception of beauty. Set your own beauty marks in this world, and let the world be forced to embrace it.

Woodeleine Beaujour

For years, I hated my smile, I even wanted to get braces.

Now that I am older, I realized I am actually grateful for my teeth, I am grateful for my smile, I wouldn't change it for anything.

My smile is very unique and it is part of who I am as a person.

I have come to the point in my life where I am able to accept each and every part of my body. Nonetheless, I have also come to understand that people are always going to share their opinions about my looks. People say things without realizing the effect that it may cause for others.

I embrace my smile by smiling more and staying positive because that is who I am.

Alexis Maria

I used to have an issue with my smile. I hated my gap. No one necessarily made fun of me because of it, but I wanted my teeth to be straight like everyone else's. But that was the problem, I wanted to look like other people.

I never noticed that my gap is what sets me apart from the collective.

I would see celebrities come into the industry with their unique smiles, then change them as soon as they've made it big. Just made me think I had a flaw that wasn't acceptable. Me embracing my smile was a long journey because we are all made the way the Universe intended. Everyone, everything is beautiful.

When you actually come to terms with that, something silly like gapped teeth won't bother you. I love my gap because it's a part of me and I love myself, so that's how it should be.

Special Reynolds

It took me a while to love my smile.

As a child, I was teased about having a gap and I remembered I had two yellow stains on my front teeth. Then, when I got older, I took charge of my dental care and realized that I had an amazing smile. People say gapped teeth are ugly but I think they are beautiful and even sexy. Also, gapped teeth are hereditary, so it connects me to my Mom's side of the family where I get it from.

So I embrace my smile by smiling super big, taking close-up selfies, and denying dental offers for braces and veneers. My teeth are perfect just the way they are.

Thokozile Tshabalala

Honestly, I never used to smile.

I was never confident about my smile because I hated how my teeth looked.

I remember entering a modeling contest and I didn't make it to the finals because I never smiled. One day, someone told me that I had a beautiful gap and in my head, I thought they were teasing me until someone said the same thing and I started believing it a little. I started Googling girls with gaps and they looked pretty. Long story short, I got confidence from them and I started embracing the front gap and I'm starting to smile more.

Natalie Blake

When I was younger, I never really understood how my smile was unique.

I just remember that I was one of the few people with the space between my teeth. I got made fun of a little bit but somehow I embraced the attention. As I got a little older, I started getting a different kind of attention from people in a positive way and it made me realize that I don't need braces or need to be like everyone else. I just learned to rock my gap tooth with my style.

When you have the confidence about something and you don't need verification from anyone else, people accept what you already accepted.

That's how I feel about my smile it's unique because I embrace it.

Jessica Johnson

I'm a gap-toothed, deep-dimpled, loud-mouthed, silly woman.

Smiling is contagious. Plus, if I don't smile, I look like Ice Cube. So, I smile because life's too short to be unhappy.

LoriElle Anderson

The light that is within me illuminates through my smile. My smile is ignited when I think of the love I have for myself that allows me to share love with others.

I embrace my smile by recognizing that it was uniquely formed, just as my being.

I am able to embrace my smile because it is nonconforming and untraditional, just like the life I lead. My smile embodies versatility and holds value. It is a beautiful thing to be able to embrace such a standout smile in such a traditional and stereotypical society. I embrace my smile to encourage other young women to be proud of their natural features and shine bright like their pearly whites!