All
Aboard! "It's Very
Swedish..." a
train on a cultural journey through Sweden, exploring the
differences big and small between American and Swedish culture.
***
I remember my cousin coming to visit from Sweden when I was in junior high. She remarked (and I'll translate for you) "Wow, a LOT of kids wear braces here." Totally true. Braces aren't as common in Sweden - not the rite of passage most American kids endure.
I never had braces. My teeth are, if I may say so myself, well it's my blog you can't really stop me...perfectly aligned. Neither of my boys will need braces. The Engineer never had them either. He has a really great smile...
There are a lot of factors that could account for this difference though, and The Swede told me to get a hold of a Swedish dentist...thanks, very helpful...so let's explore this ourselves since I don't know any Swedish dentists.
Do fewer Swedish kids have braces because their teeth don't need them?
Is it because fewer Swedes put as much emphasis on having a perfect appearance as American society pushes us to have?
Are there fewer orthodontists? Is dental care part of the socialized medicine, or is it private and therefore just as ridiculously expensive as here in America?
What do you think? Did you have braces?
I'd also like to know what the incidence of braces is like in your country. Yes, I'm demanding...
~Tina, who never had braces but I think the two root canals (and crowns) made up for me not contributing to orthodontia, the oral surgeons got my $$$ instead...
P.S Alex J. Cavanaugh gets the Gold Medal from yesterday's post for remembering the that summer cottage is "stuga". Way to go Alex!
©2014
All Rights Reserved