Things you take for granted when you have all your teeth

I didn't realize just how important a few teeth were in my everyday life. Oh - cosmetically I was and continue to be a big fan. But otherwise, what do a few chompers really do to enhance my life? Well, I decided to write a few things that I have missed since, losing a few front teeth.

Surprisingly, I miss:

• The letter 'S'
• The phonetic 'ch'
• A full smile
• Biting into a taco
• Something to keep the little salivary gland under my tongue from squirting across the table and hitting my eating companion right between the eyes. (Did you even know you had a salivary gland there? It is very busy when you are hungry. Believe you me!)
• Biting into chips and salsa
• The letter 'C'
• Biting into a sandwich
• The phonetic 'sh'
• Drinking easily, without thought, from a glass.
• Biting anything....

So, the next time you get through a conversation without lisping, eat your lunch without cutting your sandwich into bite size pieces, or enjoy a meal with your loved one without giving them a saliva shower, thank your front bottom teeth. They are some of the unsung heroes of our oral lives.