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Chronic pain has made life difficult for Natalie Lacasse (24) since she was twelve. The doctors diagnosed her with temporomandibular disorder (TMD), a dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint.
At the age of 18, Lacasse ended up in the hospital after a car accident. She was prescribed naproxen for her back pain. “I had no idea what effects this drug had on the digestive system and stomach. I developed stomach ulcers and vomited for months,” she told the British news portal NeedToKnow.co.uk.
She brushed her teeth every time she vomited. A fatal mistake. “I didn’t know it was the opposite of what you’re supposed to do. This just brushes the acid into the teeth, which then attacks the enamel. It destroyed my teeth,” she explains.
$5,000 for a new smile
The situation made it difficult for the Canadian. Some believed that the reason for her toothless smile was drug abuse – it hurt her badly, and Lacasse withdrew, cried every day and began to put money aside. She wanted a flawless smile again. It was clear to her that every tooth needed to be replaced.
To date, she has invested $5,000 in her new smile. It took her some time to get used to the dentures and her new, completely different smile. “I expected my smile to look normal and the same again. It was hard to look in the mirror. And even today, when I see my old smile in pictures, it hurts a little.”
Her biggest problem with the dentures: they give her a headache. And with her she can’t eat or talk properly.
Tiktokerin relies on humor
That’s why Lacasse often does without dentures, which in turn earns her funny looks. “Sometimes I smile at someone or talk to a cashier at the grocery store without wearing my dentures and people look like they’ve seen a ghost or they’re staring at my mouth,” she says. She is currently waiting for a custom product that will allow her to eat and talk without any problems.
She has since decided to share her story with other people on Tiktok. Ahead of all jokes, a Lacasse tiktok hilariously answered the question, “Why don’t you eat in public?” She spits out her teeth. The video garnered over 1.7 million views.
Thanks to the encouragement of the community, she has almost 17,000 followers, it is now easier for her to accept herself as she is. “Until last year, I hid my mouth all the time,” she admits. But you can’t do it without laughing. “I try to enjoy myself during this difficult time and to take things with humor for someone who is actually still too young for chronic pain and dentures,” says the Tiktokerin.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
