Jonathan Opra likes to think of himself as an approachable guy, especially now that his heroin addiction is behind him. Yet you wouldn't always know it from the look on his face. That's because Opra, 34, tries to avoid smiling to conceal his missing teeth. Three years sober, the Derby reside nt said he's proud of what he's overcome. But what he'd give to be able to talk to a prospective employer or, God forbid, a woman, without fear of being judged. "You can see it in their eyes," he sighed. Opra's experience is common among former drug users, who sometimes experience painful and embarrassing dental problems even years after they get sober. Unable to afford costly fixes, many simply have bad teeth yanked out, only to find that dentures are equally out of reach. Missing or damaged teeth can become an albatross for people in recovery, an impediment to employment and a reminder of their destructive pasts. No wonder so many former drug users say they didn't mind having to wear a mask during the pandemic. "At least then, no one knew how many of my teeth were gone," said Jessica Getty, a recovery coach in Springfield who managed to save up for dentures a few years ago. A local nonprofit wants to ease the burden of bad teeth by helping people in recovery pay for vital dental work. Recovery Partners of Vermont has asked state lawmakers to repurpose $500,000 that was already earmarked for addiction services and put it toward a new oral health fund. The proposal did not make it into the House's recently approved budget, but it could still resurface in the Senate. Supporters say it would be an immediate and effective step toward helping former drug users rebuild their lives. "They can't talk right. They can't smile. They have no confidence," said Joanne Puente, a dental hygienist at the People's Health and Wellness Clinic in Barre, which offers free, basic dental care for low-income clients. Bad teeth, she said, can ruin a person's "whole mental outlook." Dental problems are not confined to substance users, of course. Many medications — including those legally prescribed to treat depression, high blood pressure and other ailments — can cause dry mouth, which can in turn speed up tooth decay, since there's not enough saliva to control bacteria in the mouth. But people who use heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine… ...read more read less