Do loved ones joke about your dental journey?

[Hopeful1]

I, personally, have a brilliant sense of humour. I can joke about myself, this, that and everything. However, when I've had the courage to discuss my dental treatments with some loved ones, some of them can... respond differently, to others.
Now, don't get me wrong, I can understand why people who haven't experienced dental fears might not always know how to respond; it is a normal response to an abnormal situation. In my experience when some people have made 'out of turn' jokes, I've been able to shut it down by saying I'm not comfortable yet and they've apologised and accepted that.
I've been thinking about how, being open about something doesn't necessarily mean you're necessarily ready to joke about it.

I just thought it was worth sharing as a reminder that we can be open about our experiences while still needing a little sensitivity around them. Has anyone else had a good or bad experience? Either way, I think it's good to share/support each other in this regard

TL-DR: If you've shared your journey with someone close, how did it go? <3

 

[Sweet Tooth]

I'm choosing not to share my journey until after it's finished. My sister was a dental assistant many, many years ago. If I told her what I was doing, she would say, "Why did you let them pull all your teeth out?" I don't feel the need to explain to her my reasoning. I'm also not looking for her opinion. She older than myself and is ALWAYS ready to give her opinion about ANYTHING I say when it's not asked for.

I'm looking forward to implants because I have always had some kind of partial for my four front upper teeth because of my CL/CP. My whole life it has always made me feel like an "old lady" needing to take out her dentures to clean them. I am self conscious if I have to brush my teeth in front of anyone. I will think that the person seeing me brush my partial will assume that I haven't taken care of my teeth. Growing up, one friend actually said to me, "I have all my own teeth." Ever since then I have been self conscious having to brush my teeth in fron of someone. Even now, if I know that someone is coming to visit, I make it a point to put the container that I soak my teeth in away and out of sight so I won't be judged. Getting implants will be a long term solution for me and hopefully I will only need routine treatment.