# What causes sudden huge front-teeth gaps in women in their 30s? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039 "2014-10-11T15:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/1 "2014-10-11T15:14:19Z")
The other day while shopping I ran into a former coworker who I hadn’t seen in two years. She had her toddler in the cart with her (who was adorable) but I couldn’t help but notice her smile. Wow… what a change. What used to be a nice tight group of front top teeth now seemed to have a Huge gap in them! Ok, maybe huge is too big a word, but there was easility a 1-2 centimeter gap between her two front top teeth that just wasn’t there before. I tried not to stare, but it drastically altered her smile. She seemed a little self concious about it and was making sure not to open her mouth when she smiled more than 1-2 centimeters either. It didn’t look like she’d had an accident needing facial reconstruction… she just looked really gap-toothed, and she never had before. Q: Is this something that happens to woman as they go through their 30s the way ears grow on men? (I’ve never seen this change on other women) Is this something that happens because of childbirth? Or has she just spent the last two years knocking on doors with her face? Also, after 35, are people just too old for braces…? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/2 "2014-10-11T15:17:02Z")
Centimeter? ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/3 "2014-10-11T15:20:17Z")
After your 12 year molars come in, it’s too late to do anything about that gap except have your teeth bonded, I think. I have never heard of it appearing later in life though. Maybe she had them bonded and the false bit came off? I had this gap as a child. It was caused by a strip of gum that kept the front teeth apart. I had it removed when I was 10, and when my 12 year molars came in they pushed everything to center. I am now 34, and I have had a child (to satisfy your question), and my front teeth are still right up against each other. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/4 "2014-10-11T15:22:46Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Centimeter? Hiya! Yep. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/5 "2014-10-11T15:27:08Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > After your 12 year molars come in, it’s too late to do anything about that gap except have your teeth bonded, I think. I have never heard of it appearing later in life though. Maybe she had them bonded and the false bit came off? > > I had this gap as a child. It was caused by a strip of gum that kept the front teeth apart. I had it removed when I was 10, and when my 12 year molars came in they pushed everything to center. I am now 34, and I have had a child (to satisfy your question), and my front teeth are still right up against each other. Actually orthodontics work well after second molars erupt. Failure of dental work may cause it to be noticeable. Periodontal problems also frequently cause it. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/6 "2014-10-11T15:36:03Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > Actually orthodontics work well after second molars erupt. > Failure of dental work may cause it to be noticeable. Periodontal problems also frequently cause it. Is there corrective action available? Is it progressive? She was a sweet kid & I’d hate to think that this will progress. Now, it just looks different, but at this rate in two years she’ll be able to clip an IPOD Shuffle between them & change music with her tongue. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/7 "2014-10-11T15:50:30Z")
Maybe she had braces as a child and she was the type who was required to wear a retainer to bed indefinitely in order for them to stay straight. Then she lost the retainer. I know at least one person this happened to. She was in her early 20s, but maybe that’s what happened to this lady? ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/8 "2014-10-11T15:50:39Z")
Wha…? 1-2cm is the width of a front tooth (or more). If she’s got a gap that size, it’s because she lost a tooth. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/9 "2014-10-11T16:10:50Z")
Childbirth can cause it. Hormones can cause bone development leading to tooth gaps. Though it could be any of the other reasons stated. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/10 "2014-10-11T16:12:02Z")
It’s not normal if you can afford good dental care, but it’s natural, if that makes sense. (FWIW, dental insurance sucks.) After 35 we’re more likely to have periodontal disease (even with good dental care), or to have a root canal fail and a tooth pulled. And then a lot of people might just say the hell with getting a bridge/implant, I need that $2000 for other stuff. Maybe now that she has a child she feels she shouldn’t be spending money on her teeth if they still work. Maybe she was raised to feel that spending money on teeth that don’t hurt is stupid. Lots of possibilities. Hopefully as time goes on, she can have her teeth seen to. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/11 "2014-10-11T16:37:59Z")
> [@eclectic\_wench](#): > > Wha…? 1-2cm is the width of a front tooth (or more). If she’s got a gap that size, it’s because she lost a tooth. More like two teeth. That’s more than 3/4 inch. If it’s a gap that large she may have been missing those teeth before and wore a denture to hide the gap, or lost 2 teeth recently. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/12 "2014-10-11T16:58:04Z")
My wife said this gap was sexy, I had it from childhood. Good enough for me, screw the gap haters lol. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/13 "2014-10-11T17:08:54Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Is there corrective action available? Is it progressive? She was a sweet kid & I’d hate to think that this will progress. > Now, it just looks different, but at this rate in two years she’ll be able to clip an IPOD Shuffle between them & change music with her tongue. orthodontics and restorative work(either fixed or removeable). Things very greatly depending on the situation. Michael Strahan has a pretty fair gap. Don’t have a cite but in 28 years of dentistry it does seem blacks have it more than whites although usually women more than men. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/14 "2014-10-11T17:10:03Z")
> [@grude](#): > > My wife said this gap was sexy, I had it from childhood. Good enough for me, screw the gap haters lol. Lauren Hutton doesn’t look bad either. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/15 "2014-10-11T17:32:49Z")
If I lost my two front top teeth, the gap would be less than 2 cm. I’m thinking the OP really means millimeters. Otherwise, my guess is that she plays hockey. ETA: OK, assuming the OP really does mean mm, and that this really is a “thing” with women in their 30s, which I’ve never before noticed or heard of, I’d guess it’s associated with pregnancy. Women’s tendons and ligaments get looser during pregnancy or something, and they can change shoe sizes. Something related could maybe cause this. ---
**Author:** ![Archeonomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Archeonomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archeonomist)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/16 "2014-10-11T21:53:24Z")
I got a little gap between my front teeth that has developed after I got my wisdom teeth pulled. My dentist explained that this was perfectly normal. Teeth move about all the time. Mine were recently in London. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/17 "2014-10-11T22:05:07Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > Michael Strahan has a pretty fair gap. …but Kelly doesn’t, amIright? > [@rsat3acr](#): > > Lauren Hutton doesn’t look bad either. RIP. > [@ZenBeam](#): > > If I lost my two front top teeth, the gap would be less than 2 cm. > > I’m thinking the OP really means millimeters. Otherwise, my guess is that she plays hockey. The size and shape of a candy corn, if one was carved out between front teeth with a saw.\* \*No, this Isn’t a movie idea. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/18 "2014-10-11T22:11:20Z")
Yikes! This is why I wear my retainer faithfully every night. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/19 "2014-10-11T22:13:41Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > > [@rsat3acr](#): > > > > Lauren Hutton doesn’t look bad either. > > RIP. Huh? Lauren Hutton’s not dead. > [@](#): > > The size and shape of a candy corn, if one was carved out between front teeth with a saw. So the gap you saw in her mouth was about the size of a tooth? Perhaps she, you know, lost a tooth. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039/20 "2014-10-11T22:21:26Z")
Maybe she used to have veneers that hid that gap, and had recently lost one or both or had them removed for some reason. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-sudden-huge-front-teeth-gaps-in-women-in-their-30s/701039.md?page=2)