Woman Shares Her Reaction To Brushing Her Teeth For The First Time In 9 Years
She was never able to brush her teeth without severe pain.
Marcus Aurelis | Shutterstock After not picking up a toothbrush in nearly a decade, one woman decided that she was ready to start brushing her teeth again after years of battling dental issues.
According to the woman, her teeth were prone to damage and breaking, making it nearly impossible for her to brush her teeth. Until one day she found a toothpaste and brush that was suitable for her teeth and gums, allowing her to do something for herself she hadn’t done in nine years.
The woman, whose teeth are brittle and prone to breaking, filmed herself brushing her teeth for the first time in 9 years.
Abi Burleigh had been suffering from extreme pain and discomfort for years. Her teeth were sensitive and prone to breaking easily — whether she ate, brushed her teeth, flossed, or even used mouthwash.
The condition is genetic and something that Abi’s mother and brother also deal with.
“I try to brush my teeth, floss, Listerine, I tried a water flosser, and every single time I either slightly chipped a tooth, or I broke a whole tooth in half,” Burleigh said.
It got to the point where she stopped brushing her teeth in hopes of saving them.
Eventually, Burleigh came across a toothpaste called “Sensodyne,” which is designed to protect against tooth sensitivity.
She decided to give it a try using a baby toothbrush since the bristles were not as thick, reducing the risk of her teeth falling apart.
It was an emotional moment for Abi, who was riddled with anxiety and nearly in tears as she prepared herself to brush her teeth for the first time in nine years.
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Bracing herself for the pain, she put a small dab of toothpaste on the brush before brushing lightly and slowly over her teeth.
While Burleigh did break a tooth in the process and confessed that the pain made her want to “cry in a hole,” her bravery was a step in the right direction!
For someone like Burleigh, the simple tasks we take for granted, such as brushing our teeth, are monumental milestones.
While some of us may ask how someone could go nearly a decade without brushing their teeth, we are lucky enough not to experience crippling pain every time we eat, floss, and brush our teeth.
Thankfully, the woman sought the help of a dental professional so that she could eat, brush her teeth again, and bring her smile back.
She had all of her teeth removed and received dentures earlier this year.
While Burleigh said that the whole journey was tough, she claimed that every day gets easier adjusting to her new look.
“It’s a process of loving yourself, accepting what has happened, and then also doing everything possible to focus on the good parts,” she said in a YouTube video.
Undergoing change, no matter if it’s good or bad, can be scary since everything is so new. But like Burleigh said, it is a process of self-acceptance and self-love.
We wish Burleigh the best of luck in the future with her new smile and hope that she feels comfortable and confident with her new smile.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.