Last Sunday, Ramesh sat with his friends, a hot plate of biryani right in front of him.

Everyone started eating, enjoying the moment.

Ramesh smiled… but paused.

Just two days earlier, he had visited a dentist. He wanted to fix his uneven teeth and finally feel confident about his smile. But the moment he heard about metal braces, one thought stayed in his mind:

“Will I have to stop eating the food I love?”

No crunchy snacks.

No sticky foods.

No carefree eating.

Suddenly, getting a better smile didn’t feel exciting anymore—it felt like giving something up.

So he decided to wait.

And he’s not alone.