Serene, Sober and Smiling

Growing up in rural North Carolina, raised by elderly parents who dipped snuff and chewed tobacco, I followed suit—a decision that had long-term impacts on my dental health. I was 12 years old when my father passed away, and I learned that I was adopted. That explained a lot of things—like why my parents were so much older than my classmates’ parents and why my father sometimes touched me inappropriately.

The revelation made me an angry, rebellious child who coped with my insecurities by self-medicating. By my late teens, I was using harder drugs, primarily marijuana and occasionally cocaine. This was also when I needed my first fillings. By the time I was an adult, my teeth were stained, brittle and fragile. Those in my lower jaw, especially, were so jagged that I sometimes bit my tongue and jaw just trying to eat.

A smile is often viewed as a nonverbal expression of your inner emotions. For most of my life, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Although I have a big personality and love making people laugh, I was ashamed to smile.

Linda before her dental makeover

Courtesy Linda Gingles

I entered the health care field following high school. I started my career as a certified nursing assistant and became a registered nurse in my early 20s. I went on to earn a master’s degree and currently teach nursing at a community college. As a medical professional, I knew well the risks of substance abuse. Nonetheless, I continued to indulge in things that damaged my teeth and risked my health.

I married when I was 25. Our son Josh was born three years later, and Joey five years after that, but our marriage was troubled and contentious almost from the beginning. I felt bullied and unappreciated, and self-medicated to cope. Of course, this didn’t help my marriage or my ability to be a good parent. My husband and I separated when Josh was 5, and I was pregnant with Joey; we divorced two years later.

Due to my drug use and emotional struggles, the courts awarded my ex-husband full custody and allowed me only supervised visitations. I moved 100 miles away, from Gastonia to Asheville, and made the three-hour round trip every other weekend to see my sons. As tough as it was, this period taught me how to navigate complex family relationships and better cope with my own fears and insecurities.

After several years without incident, I was granted unsupervised visitation over holidays, long weekends, and summer breaks. That’s when I truly began to rebuild my relationship with the boys. While they were forgiving and loving, I couldn’t shake the guilt of not being with them full-time. Therapy helped me deal with my self-doubt and general insecurities, and eventually let go of the drugs.

During all this, Josh and Joey thrived academically and athletically. They both attended the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, followed by UNC dental school for Josh and Vanderbilt University Law School for Joey.

By the time Joshua graduated in 2016, I had been clean for years. He never forgot the promise he made when he was first admitted to dental school: to give me a smile that matched my personality. Trained in cosmetic dentistry and whole-mouth reconstruction, he immediately began developing a care and treatment plan for me. He partnered with a celebrity dentist in Beverly Hills and expanded his practice to include tooth bling for athletes and celebrities—a trend popularized by stars like Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Drake, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, and Simone Biles.

Fixing my teeth would prove to be a years-long process that started with braces. The stress, grinding, clenching, and drug use had worn my teeth down so much that fitting the wires on my bottom teeth was difficult and painful. I wasn’t thrilled about having a mouth full of wire in my late 50s for two years, but I knew it would be worth it in the end.

Finally, in the spring of 2022, Josh said, “Mom, it’s time for the next phase.” We traveled from Charlotte to Los Angeles for the intensive cosmetic and reconstructive dental surgery with his partner. It was more than a notion. He drilled every single one of my teeth to prep them for temporary crowns.

“Let me know if you’re in pain, Mom,” he said repeatedly during the eight-hour session.

Instead of focusing on the discomfort, I focused on my son’s careful, skillful ability. I was so proud of him. The next few months were hard, though, requiring large amounts of over-the-counter medication for the pain. We returned to Los Angeles a few months later to complete the process.

When people who’ve known me a long time see me, they say, “Linda, look at your teeth!”

“My son did this!” I say. Josh covered the $25,000–$30,000 cost of my full-mouth reconstruction. He jokes that this should cover him for the next few birthdays, Christmases, and Mother’s Days.

Today, I’m much more comfortable talking, laughing, and smiling. It took 60 years to feel pride instead of shame when I look in the mirror. It means so much that my son gave me a smile that truly is a window to my soul.