The mask itself is so simple. It is a piece of cloth, often sewn by a member of our community eager to do something. Some people have chosen to wear statement masks (Go Pats!) or fashionable masks (polka dots, anyone?). Others are more practical, digging through garages to find a functional white mask that’ll do the job – nothing fancy needed.

But there are stories hiding behind the masks, and for Oasis patients, as with many in our community, they are complicated and moving.

We are getting used to seeing each other in masks as we go about our daily lives. It is not quite as jarring as it was at the beginning of the pandemic, but it is still surreal. The experience of wearing a mask for most is uncomfortable and awkward, maybe a little embarrassing. Perhaps your glasses steam up or maybe the mask slips down. It is a constant reminder of how radically our lives have changed in a short period of time. For some, however, the mask takes on something bigger.

One of our patients called Oasis late March as we were learning the scope of this crisis. She works in a public facing job and was told she had to wear a mask at work. Afraid she would lose her job if she didn’t, our patient asked us to write a note to her employer, exempting her from the requirement. When asked for more information, she told us this: She wasn’t trying to be a problem at work or wanted to put customers at risk. She really needed her job. It’s just that a few years ago, her boyfriend put his hand over her mouth while he was trying to choke her. Ever since, she panics when something – anything – comes near her face. Putting on a mask brings her back to that moment.

Imagine. Two terrible choices – reliving the scariest moment of your life in order to maintain your livelihood. Or risking your job in order to save your mental health. All for a simple piece of cloth.

Life without smiling

The experiences of everyday life have changed because we can’t see each other smile. At the grocery, if we look up from our carts to meet the eye of the masked person six feet away from us, it‘s hard to tell if they are smiling or grimacing. We may look away quickly, giving ourselves little time to process any exposed facial features. Do you remember those distant days of February – when grocery store aisles doubled as community center, a place to connect with neighbors, friends, and colleagues? With the arrival of the mask and the departure of the smile, the grocery store has been boiled down to its most basic function – the place to buy provisions as quickly as possible.

Oasis patients with substantial dental issues experienced life without smiles long before masking began. Many of our patients tell us at their first visit that they often don’t smile because they are embarrassed by their teeth. Lack of routine dental care, fluoridated water, and healthy foods have led to severe dental issues. One of our patients said, “People interact differently with you when you can’t smile. They look away and don’t talk to you. It feels awful.” When someone is experiencing dental pain, blackened teeth and cavities, it limits job prospects, takes a toll on physical, mental and emotional well-being, and have consequences for overall health.

Smiling is one of the most important ways we communicate with each other. Think about what we convey when we smile: joy, sympathy, contentment, pleasure, and kindness. We connect with strangers, as well as friends and family, through our smiles. When we don’t smile, we are perceived as angry, distant, sad, or disinterested. How likely are you to hire a job candidate that never smiled? Without the ability to confidently flash a smile, many of our patients are at a disadvantage. At Oasis, we believe that everyone should be able to smile and show others that they are excited, happy, and kind — with or without a mask.

One of our jobs at Oasis is to help our patients get on track with their oral health, and our volunteer dentists, dental hygienists and assistants have helped thousands of people in the Midcoast. My office is located next to the dental clinic, so I have a front row seat to the transformation that happens when folks step into the clinic. My favorite was a young man who came to the dental clinic with many problems. Our volunteers saw him several times over a six month period. Throughout his visits, he talked about how long his teeth had bothered him and how it negatively affected the way he felt about his appearance, the way he talked and how he regarded himself in general. At his last visit, he saw a dental hygienist who cleaned and polished his teeth. He walked out with a huge grin on his face. A few days later, we received a card from him with this note: “To the Oasis Team: Thank you for all you have done. You all have worked so hard to bring my smile back, and I thank you all so very much.” COVID-19 has helped me understand what it’s been like for our dental patients who are not able to communicate with smiles, and what a joy it is to see a smile uncovered.

So what can we do?

What does this have to with masks? Now that we are forced to wear a mask, I hope that they become a symbol of compassion. Most obviously, masks represent safety for those at risk for COVID-19, whether it is healthcare workers, grocery store employees or those with health issues. Simply wearing a mask is an act of kindness. When you wear a mask, you are doing something to help others and the community at large. Masks also represent collective action – what people can do when they feel powerless and want to help. Think of how many people

pulled out their sewing machines and dug out old bags of fabric in order to donate masks to local organizations. Masks have offered comic relief, as evidenced by the masks on ceramic pigs, angels, and teddy bears I’ve seen on my evening walks. Finally, I hope we acknowledge the humanity behind every mask – the person who continues to live a complex, interesting life as they navigate this uncertain new world – and give them a smile so big that they can’t help but see it.

Anita Ruff is the executive director of Oasis Free Clinics.

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