A Real Mom's Question About Her Daughter's Smile Sheela asks : "My daughter is 17 and has what I think is called a 'gummy smile' - her gums are very visible when she laughs. While I think she's beautiful, she's mentioned feeling uncomfortable about it. What options are available to address this?" My Response: As a parent, it's natural to want your child to feel confident and happy. When your teenager starts feeling self-conscious about their smile, it can be heartbreaking to watch. The good news is that you have options - both in terms of treatments and in how you approach this sensitive topic with your daughter. Why Some People Have More Visible Gums First, let's talk about why this happens. Everyone's face is unique, and gum visibility when smiling depends on several things that are completely normal variations: Your daughter might have naturally shorter lips, which means more of her gums show when she smiles broadly. Or maybe her upper j...