Ok I'm really pissed now and it's getting REALLY personal! My

[madmom]

25 year old daughter has no insurance and has a bad tooth, it's been bad for a while. Well now it's so painful she can hardly eat. Went to the dentist to have the tooth pulled, hubby and I decided to pay (even though we can't afford it)Well the tooth broke off it's gone now nothing but roots left. She need oral surgery.They sent us to the local oral surgeon, because they said it needs to be done asap. and they won't touch it till we pay $500 up front! We don't have it, she doesn't have it. The first dentist gave her some Oxycontin till we can find an oral surgeon who will let her pay on a sliding scale or will take payments. I think I found one ( an hour and 1/2 away) but they were closed when we finally got home. We have to wait till morning to call and see if they can take her in asap. Right now she laying down with a cold rag on her head and tears in her eyes. FUCK NO we don't need fucking health care everything is just fucking peachy keen!!!!!!!!!:mad: :grr: :cry: :banghead: GOD I want to hit a repuke so bad right now!!!

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Oh god, I am so sorry......

When it affects our children, it's UNBEARABLE and COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!!!

Can you take her to the emergency room? I recall several years ago being surprised that an acquaintance who was in severe pain from a tooth abscess presented to the emergency room and they had an oral surgeon on call.

HUGE hugs to you and your daughter :grouphug:

[glowing]

2. Sad state it is when 25 yr olds are getting their teeth yanked. You would think

we didn't have an entire profession dedicated to the care of teeth. Is the future going to look like smiles with gaping holes? What is wrong with this country?

[stopbush]

8. I'm looking at braces for both of my kids.

It usually $4,000 each, but my dentist is giving me $500 off apiece. $7000 instead of $8000. What a bargain!

My dental insurance covers a max of $1500 per year per family member, so I need to pay $2000 on each kid. I just put $900 down for my son and have agreed to pay the remainder off within 6 months. The dentist says that the insurance will pay him out over the course of the treatment. So, if I change jobs or lose the insurance, I'll be stuck with part of the $1500 as well.

Still, not as bad as having a child in agony. I wish the OP the best. What a shitty situation. I'd go to the ER room and have it done.

[glowing]

24. I was thinking the same thing.. Go to the ER and be done with it.

[stopbush]

3. What's really sad is that IIRC, dental isn't being addressed

in all of these debates about healthcare.

[Better Today]

6. Ding ding! But it should be, now that we know how important it is to our overall health

[katanalori]

25. agreed

My brother, age 55, had tooth infection. He did NOT take care of it (no $) - infection spread to kidneys. He almost died. Now, both kidneys are shut down, he is on dialysis for life. I get very upset over stories like the OP related. This type of thing can be life-threatening.

[Lifelong Protester]

4. I want to hit one FOR YOU...

I am sorry for your daughter's pain and sorry that people can be treated the way you were in this situation.

I had some major tooth problems (wisdom teeth) and the pain is horrible, so I can relate. Cold will help the pain, so keep using that. If she can take the med, have her do so. And I'm not being a smart-butt, but if she doesn't want to take the med, brandy will help dull the pain too (not too much, of course, no need to add hangover to injury). That's what I used (or Irish whiskey).

I wish your daughter's pain on each and everyone of the town hall disrupter gangs.

[CakeGrrl]

5. That's all kinds of messed up

I don't know the Obama team's strategic plans, but I wonder if they have another 30-minute prime-time advertisement in the works, similar to the one that was put out a few days before the election?

They need to get stories like this out to the public and correct the misinformation.

The counteroffensive needs to be thorough and effective.

[ejpoeta]

7. my husband would wait til his tooth hurt so bad that he was in tears and couldn't bear it

anymore. he would go to the ER and they would give him something for the pain. how many teeth did he go through this with. we had no insurance and no money. i feel for your daughter. now bob has insurance and has falsies on the top... had all on the top removed. took out a loan from his 401k to pay his part of it. he needs to get the bottoms done too, but we just don't have the money right now for it.

i can't help but wonder if these jerks in congress who are trying to kill this have ever had to deal with this. if they have ever had to worry about if they were sick or had a tooth hurt so bad they just couldn't take it anymore and had no money to pay a dentist to take it out or anything. it's just wrong.

[Botany]

9. Call Ohio State's college of dentistry ... they might be able to help

best wishes

[Hepburn]

10. OMG....

...I am so sorry. Nothing seems to be as bad as dental pain.

:cry:

[prolesunited]

11. Did they give you any antibiotics?

If it's hurting so badly, it sounds like it has abscessed. An infection like that can easily spread through the jaw or into the blood system. Sometimes if you can get the infection to subside, it will buy you a few more days. Also, have her elevate her head a bit and some of the throbbing should subside.

[madmom]

12. Thank you, yes they did give her an antibiotic. Thank you all for you advice, I think I

will take her to the ER to see what they have to say.:grouphug:

[PA Democrat]

14. That's good. My great grandmother died from an abscessed tooth.

Best of luck to you and your daughter.

[stopbush]

27. Yes, go to the ER. They can do oral surgery there.

We're always being told that our medical insurance premiums are high because we're off-setting the costs of people who get treated and who have no insurance. So why not be one of those uninsured on this occasion? According to the insurance industry, I and anyone else who has insurance have already got you covered...and don't let them hand you bill, either!

[ihavenobias]

13. Not enough debate and discussion goes on about dental care.

It can be insanely expensive and dental insurance is laughable. Sorry about your situation, that sucks.

[Mind_your_head]

15. I'm VERY sorry to hear about your daughter's plight

Oral (mouth) hygiene is REALLY important for overall health. For those of us not in such dire straights yet as your daughter, the way to keep you and your loved ones from "getting in dire straights" with the bad teeth problems.....brush your teeth at least twice a day, in the morning and before you go to bed (if you 'miss' a night or two, no big deal, but GENERALLY BRUSH EVERY NIGHT BEFORE BED. Brush after eating something sweet or sticky (like fruit rollups)....if you can't brush, rinse your mouth out well/forcefully with water after eating the sweet/sticky thing. Floss your teeth at least a few times per week - every day is better.

You can buy a battery powered electric toothbrush for around $20. They are AWESOME at removing plaque/tartar from teeth.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and all of that 'good stuff'.

Sorry if I sound preachy.

All the best to the OP's daughter :hug:

[stopbush]

28. Even more important, get your teeth professionally cleaned at least twice a year.

Plaque can build up incredibly fast, especially if you have any gaps or misaligned teeth. Even if it costs you $50-100 per cleaning, it's worth it in the short and long term.

[booley]

16. Reminds me of my room mate

He's had a broken tooth for years. And his wisdom teeth have begun to bother him.

But he's also unemployed. So no insurance. And no money.

Considering that people have died from dental infections, it's downright stupid to consider dental as important as any other health need.

[doodadem]

17. This is going on all over the place now

Everyone who lost their insurance when they lost their job, and couldn't afford the freakin' COBRA. Like us. Husband has been off for over a year now. I had a tooth that went into abcess mode a few months ago. Luckily the second round of antibiotics has backed it off. For now. Its in a tooth I had a root canal done on years ago. We're lucky in having a sympathetic dentist who will take payments.

Someone else suggested calling your local dental college. That's a good thought. My understanding is that, yes--you may get worked on by students, but they are senior students who will have the professor right there at their elbow.

Wow.........just realized my next post will be my 1,000th........

[OwnedByFerrets]

18. I am so sorry for you and your daughter...wish I could help

[omega minimo]

19. Some simple things to try in the meantime

for pain and healing:

Warm salt water wash in the mouth
Clove oil or whole clove (held in mouth, not directly on that area) helps with pain
Tea tree oil -- few drops in distilled water as mouthwash

[DebbieCDC]

20. If you live near a major university with a school of denistry call them

They usually take patients for the students to work on -- under supervisor of dental professors of course. Rates are usually exceedingly low, and some don't charge anything at all.

I've had LOTS of dental work done over the years -- I feel her pain.

On edit: sp

[Parker CA]

21. Madmom, how much are they saying in addition to the $500 will be necessary for the surgergy etc??

[JimWis]

22. So sorry about your daughter. Hope they will take her in in the

morning. I also feel your anger. This BS doesn't need to exist. Someone getting rich off of other peoples misfortune. Best of luck.

[Selatius]

23. You want to know how fucked up our health insurance system is?

Take your situation and then substitute in a bad tooth for something terrible...like cancer.

If you have no insurance, you are well and truly fucked. This is a reality for the 46,000,000 who lack health insurance inside the United States.

[proud patriot]

26. Sending strength your way

As someone who went my entire 20's w/o healthcare . I so completely understand.

I have insuance now but I and my son get sick and he's disabled so constant tests
and hospitalizations we are in Medical Bill Debt up to our eyeballs.

We need healthcare Reform now

[JitterbugPerfume]

29. that is just messed up in so many ways!

I am so sick of shit like that

:hug: for you and another:hug: for your daughter

[Chemisse]

30. Even people with insurance

Have that same problem with dental care. It needs to be addressed somehow; there is nothing worse than a bad toothache and no way to get it fixed.

[madmom]

31. Ok went to the ER back already. They have no oral surgeon but they

changed her meds. She was given oxicoden (percocet)(sp) and told 1 every 6 hours. The nurse at ER said to take 2 every 4 hours then after 2 hours take ibuprofen. If that doesn't help bring her back and they will give her a shot. So we're trying that, here's hoping.
Thanks to those who suggested a dental college but the closest one is over 3 hours away. Hopefully we can get her into the dental clinic tomorrow morning.

Thanks to all who replied for your concern and help. The ice pack is really helping.:grouphug: I love DU always someone there for others.:loveya:

[proud2BlibKansan]

32. Went through this same thing with my son last week!

Is there a dental school in your area? My son had two teeth pulled for $140 at our local dental school.

[Tim01]

33. Maybe try a dental clinic or a dental school. nt

[applegrove]

34. That is terrible. I don't think dentistry is covered in Canada as part of universal health care. But

I hear your point. There are emergencies.

[femrap]

35. Are you close to a university

that has a dental school? Ohio State has an Emergency Walk-in Clinic...if that helps.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

36. I could scream too!! My hunny

fell and hit his mouth this past winter. 3 of the teeth fell out but one is hanging there, causing him alot of pain and interfering with eating.

He has VA but they don't do dental. He has no money, stuck with taking band aid jobs at less than minimum ...

I fucking hate CONservative repuke corporatists...... fucking pathological theives

I am so sorry you are all suffering, I wish I could make it change right this second for you. :grouphug:

THIS HAS GOT TO CHANGE, this country is a fucking joke.