Dental Heartache
I just read this story:
Boy Dies From Toothache
Before becoming a SAHM 20 mo. ago, I had worked on and off in the dental field for 17 years. I have seen suffering children. I have seen dentists eat much of the cost to help needy children. My father, a dentist, died just over 5 years ago. After I packed up and emptying his office, we donated all of the main equipment and supplies to a children's dental clinic in our area.
I know the story talks a lot about how being poor is what killed this boy, but my personal experiences have shown me another side to it. There are a lot of people who just don't understand how serious dental disease can be. It affects a person's complete health. While we as adults have the choice to seek dental help or not, our children do not.
If you have dental insurance, please be sure to have your children in every 6 mo. for cleanings and check ups. This teaches a child to understand it is simply a part of keeping healthy. If you do not have insurance, seek out low cost or free clinics for children in your area. If you live in the Phoenix area, email me and I can provide you with some information. I know a hygienist visits my kid's school at least once a year through a state program. See if you can get on a list at the schools if you need to. There is no shame in keeping your children's mouths healthy.
Boy Dies From Toothache
Before becoming a SAHM 20 mo. ago, I had worked on and off in the dental field for 17 years. I have seen suffering children. I have seen dentists eat much of the cost to help needy children. My father, a dentist, died just over 5 years ago. After I packed up and emptying his office, we donated all of the main equipment and supplies to a children's dental clinic in our area.
I know the story talks a lot about how being poor is what killed this boy, but my personal experiences have shown me another side to it. There are a lot of people who just don't understand how serious dental disease can be. It affects a person's complete health. While we as adults have the choice to seek dental help or not, our children do not.
If you have dental insurance, please be sure to have your children in every 6 mo. for cleanings and check ups. This teaches a child to understand it is simply a part of keeping healthy. If you do not have insurance, seek out low cost or free clinics for children in your area. If you live in the Phoenix area, email me and I can provide you with some information. I know a hygienist visits my kid's school at least once a year through a state program. See if you can get on a list at the schools if you need to. There is no shame in keeping your children's mouths healthy.
6 Comments:
What a tragedy.
I feel almost aggrivated that the article made it sound like being poor and having bad hygiene go hand in hand. To me, it sounds like the kids were neglected.
This story broke my heart when I read it. The pictures accompanying it were really awful to look at -- thinking he was alive just a few days ago and now is gone forever. (shudders)
This isn't COMPLETELY related, but my husband was a Big Brother in VBBBS and found a dentist/orthodontist to do cleanings and put on braces for free to his little brother because they were so poor. The kid wouldn't smile because his teeth were so bad and now he's so much more confident. His mom could never afford to take them and I'm not sure if he'd really been to the dentist that much. I thought that was really cool of the ortho do give him free braces.
How horrible! I am so saddened by that.
My contributions helped my dentist and his wifely hygienist enjoy a real nice evening out on the town in February. Almost $350 for a thorough checkover and then a cleaning. Yikes!
Dental care can be expensive and people often ingore it until it either affects them cosmetically or with pain. Great reminder to everyone that it is an important part of your everyday health.
I fell in love with bouganvillia on a trip to california and even tried to grow some to wrap around my indoor sunroom but didn't have much success, well actually NO success, as the poor thing died. I think I'll search online, they truly are beautiful.
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