I can sympathize with you because I myself am in the same boat. Going for years with NO health and dental insurance has cost me my health and my teeth. I am a 39 year old female, I don't drink, take drugs, or engage in any "risky" behavior. I have been diagnosed with severe anemia and vitamin deficiency. Also I'm facing an upcoming surgery to remove my thyroid gland because I was diagnosed with Graves disease Aug.'08. I started loosing my teeth about 2 yrs. ago. One cavity set off a chain reaction, I could not afford the dental bills until it was an emergency and they had to be pulled due to infection, and that was done one at a time. I don't smile anymore, I have very low self-esteem, I used to be a very pretty woman and now I'm just a shell of my former self. We are supposed to live in the richest countries in the world, with some of the most resources as far as medical and so forth but for most of us this is just a dream. I just wish to have teeth so I can live a normal life and see my kids through adulthood. Unfortunatly, I am trapped on a desperate "medical merry-go-round" that I have no control over, dentists require up front payment that I don't have, and I need implants, getting dentures is more like a temporary fix, I don't want to see my jaws disintegrate. But I'm not ungrateful, I would accept any help. I just want to have my health back and feel better about myself. Is a smile too much to ask for? For me it is.
