Quotes by Mary Tooth

“Why, I never!” Waving a letter covered with spidery handwriting, she said, “What a surprise! After all these years, Hannah wants to pay me a visit. She’d love to see the house she grew up in.”At the sound of Hannah’s name, my heart beat faster. Speechless with happiness, I listened to my aunt chatter excitedly.“She says John died last winter and she’s staying in Riverview to straighten out his estate.” Aunt Blythe paused to scrutinize the letter. “Listen to this, Drew: ‘You’ll find me a bit long in the tooth, Blythe, but, never fear, I still have my wits about me. You might warn Edward I’m not a jot sweeter than I was the last time we met!”Aunt Blythe laughed. “In other words, Hannah hasn’t changed a bit!””

“Sugar contributes to tooth decay only indirectly. Like humans, bacteria are fond of it. “Bacteria get all crazy”

“Vinegar, cola, citrus juice, wine, all are in the acid range of the pH scale: from around pH 2 to 3. Anything under pH 4 will dissolve calcium phosphate, a key component of tooth enamel. The process is called demineralization. Take a drink of anything acid, and if you are paying attention, you will notice a sudden warm slosh: parotid saliva arriving like the cavalry to bring the pH back up to the safe zone.””

“Sent to the Monk"Night fallsand the empty intimacy of the whole worldfills my heart to frothing.The past has trudged to this one spotand falls into the stream,its flashlight in its mouth.Ancient tears beneath the surfacerise and scatter like carp,while an ivory hairpin floats awaylike a loose tooth going back in time.Columbia Poetry Review. Spring 2014””