My Smile

My most memorable feature

My new smile, compliments of aging

I didn’t mind losing teeth from the back so much, but when my front teeth started needing to be pulled, I admit I was not pleased.

My smile used to light up rooms. It was my most commented-on feature in my high school yearbook. I admit I took my smith for granted and never even thought I could lose it.

Now, I have new teeth to replace those I’ve lost.

Me with my new smile, compliments of dental assistance

Thank God for dental insurance, although they still cost me out of pocket bucks, but they are one more thing to remember in the morning, and I don’t put them in until after my shower, which is sometimes (most days) around noon.

That means that occasional delivery people and door-to-door salespeople have seen the mouth that looks like a Halloween jack-o'-lantern.

My internal battle is my pride versus my need to accept myself the way I am now. I was never a raging beauty, but I did have a nice smile. I didn’t have to worry about having my partial in — the smile was there from the time I got up to the time I went to bed. Now, I take my teeth out before I go to bed and put them in to soak.

I had relatives who did the same thing, but they weren’t even as old as I am, and it wasn’t their front teeth. I think my grandmother had false teeth, but as I never saw her without them, I can’t be sure.

I can’t walk more than a city block without having to rest, my hips are not happy living with me, and my feet ache sometimes, but all that pales next to losing front teeth and therefore my best feature.

This getting old is getting old.