17 Reasons Gap Teeth Are Awesome

    Don't mind the gap.

    Alex Alvarez
    by Alex Alvarez

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. You're in great company.

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    You can count model Lauren Hutton, award-winning actor Woody Harrelson, iconic singer Elton John, trailblazing powerhouse Condoleezza Rice, the late great Robin Williams, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, fashion icon Jane Birkin, Late Show host David Letterman, the hilarious Sandra Bernhard, and renowned writer James Baldwin among your ilk. And that's just to name a few.

    2. ...Yet unique.

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    You stand out from the crowd by possessing a feature only few people do. You're #rare. Revel in it.

    3. Yup, you're flawless.

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    If your teeth are causing you discomfort or health issues, then of course get them attended to. But the idea that a space between teeth (or freckles or hair texture or pale skin or dark skin or teeth that aren't blindingly white) is a flaw that has to be "remedied" only benefits the people and companies that make money off trying fix something that isn't broken.

    Meaning: Your tooth gap isn't a flaw; it's a feature.

    4. "Diastema" seriously sound like the name of a goddess.

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    That's the fancy name for "space between teeth," by the way.

    5. You have a store named after your teeth, OK?

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    Well, not really. But it's fun to pretend.

    6. Gap teeth can be a sign of tenacity.

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    Because, sometimes even with braces, gaps come back. They don't back down easily.

    7. You have ways to amuse yourself that the rest of us can only dream about.

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    Vanessa Paradis -- singer/beautiful person/gap tooth queen -- told Harper's Bazaar that she loves her gap teeth and would never change her smile. One reason? "I can spit water through them. They're useful!"

    8. You can turn a perceived flaw (pffft) into a signature look.

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    Like "Milk," a drag performer who paints in a tooth gap when in character. Or singer/rapper Becky G, whose signature look has even influenced her set design.

    9. In some cultures, gap teeth are considered a mark of sexiness, beauty, or both.

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    Here's a lovely essay by a Nigerian woman who discusses how gap teeth are regarded where she's from. (Hint: People love 'em.)

    10. ...Or luck!

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    Yup, the French nickname for gap teeth is "dents du bonheur," which translates to "lucky teeth."

    11. They also happen to be quite fashionable.

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    Alek Wek and Lindsey Wixson are just two examples of sought-after models who rock gap teeth.

    12. Plus, celebrating your tooth gap helps "reclaim" it from negative associations.

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    Did you know, for example, that in Chaucer's time, women with gap teeth were seen as "lustful"? That's why the Wife of Bath, a notorious literary perv, has a gap-tooth smile.

    RUDE.

    Luckily, being loud and proud of your gap tooth helps shift public perception.

    13. The aardwolf has a notoriously gap-toothed smile.

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    And it is clearly one of the cutest creatures ever.

    14. Some people have even paid to have a gap put in. Yours is free!

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    You can look up the fraught cultural and social history of the so-called "passion gap," for instance. The big takeaway? Fashion, attractiveness, sexual desirability, and status vary from culture to culture, and what can be looked down upon in mainstream culture can be prized within a subculture. Varying attitudes toward beauty and presentation are simply a part of that.

    15. There's a movie all about women with gap teeth.

    View this video on YouTube
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    It's called, surprisingly, Gap-Toothed Women and it came out in 1987.

    16. You have an easy way of figuring out who is and isn't on your level.

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    Anyone who would judge you based on your teeth is simply letting you know they're not worth your time. It's a favor, really. Thanks for the heads up!

    17. It's your smile, and that makes it undeniably fabulous.

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    "Can I get an Amen?"