Tammy Slaton has never been a stranger to the spotlight. As one of the stars of TLC’s 1000-Lb. Sisters, she’s spent years letting the public into her personal life; the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
But with that visibility has come an almost relentless wave of online criticism. From her weight loss journey to her health struggles, Tammy has faced a level of scrutiny most people could never imagine, and it’s something she’s admitted has often taken a toll on her confidence.
Still, at 39, Tammy has been determined to reclaim her sense of self and continue moving forward, both physically and emotionally. She has spoken openly about trying to rise above the negativity, clapping back at trolls when necessary while reminding fans that she’s human like anyone else.
Earlier this year, she even admitted how exhausting it can be to read cruel comments about her appearance. Yet, in true Tammy fashion, she’s also managed to use those same comments as fuel, joking that “haters make me famous.”
Now, the reality star is revealing a change that she says has been a long time coming. During a candid conversation on the Creative Chaos podcast with host Hunter Ezell, Tammy unveiled the latest step in her transformation: new teeth. Smiling for the camera after Ezell teased her to “show me them chompers,” Tammy explained that she’s in the middle of a dental procedure that’s already making a huge difference in how she feels about herself.
“They’re temporary still, but they had to cement them in because the glue wasn’t holding. Well, my body was rejecting it. But they had to pull teeth. It’s a bridge,” she revealed. “I’m still getting more done with it. It’s a process.” Dental bridges, for those unfamiliar, are false teeth anchored to natural ones to quite literally “bridge the gap” in a person’s smile. It’s the kind of cosmetic work Tammy had previously admitted she wanted but wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to afford.
For Tammy, though, the journey is about more than fixing her smile. It represents another step in silencing the critics who’ve long taken shots at her. When Ezell congratulated her on the new look and suggested it might get “people off your back,” Tammy didn’t hesitate to point out that trolls don’t just vanish overnight. “Some of them,” she replied, before adding matter-of-factly: “They’re always gonna be there.” Rather than dwelling on the negativity, she made it clear she’s choosing to see the upside. “Haters make me famous,” she joked, turning years of harsh judgment into something that fuels her determination.
It’s a big shift from just a few months ago, when Tammy admitted on TikTok that comments about her teeth were damaging her confidence. In that video, she shared how difficult it was to stay positive when she constantly saw remarks about her chin or her smile. “I was trying to keep my confidence boosted and seeing comments about my chin or my teeth doesn’t help,” she confessed, before adding that cosmetic dental work isn’t simple or cheap.
Despite wanting to lash out at critics, Tammy said she took a different approach. “I really wanted to tell you if you had a true problem with my teeth then pay for them yourself,” she admitted. “But I don’t want to be that person. I don’t want to be rude.” Instead, she encouraged people to rethink how they treat others online, urging compassion over cruelty. “We should be lifting up people. It doesn’t matter if I’m missing teeth. Why can’t you just appreciate the hard work I’ve put in? Why can’t you just appreciate that I’m still alive?”
With her dental journey now underway, Tammy is proving that she’s still pushing forward, not just with her health but with her self-confidence too. “Yes, I have flaws. I’m human… but I’m not gonna let you or anyone else ruin my day,” she said. And judging by her new smile, it looks like she’s succeeding.