Cracked tooth, mother won't take me to the dentist.

[Adam R]

Here I am again on this forum, funnily enough I've gotten over my fear of the dentist after my last few procedures went well.

Now I'm stressing out about this tooth of mine and for good reason too, I'm fairly certain that I have a cracked molar because I ended up biting down on some hard candy that apparently wasn't broken down enough to be bit down on successfully, I felt a quick sharp jarring pain in the tooth and now, two weeks later the pain is still there and actually gradually becoming more noticeable.

When I floss in between the tooth I can feel the thread kind of getting caught on something, the edge of the cracked tooth I assume and there's always a little bit of blood on the thread too.

To add insult to injury this tooth was recently filled in too so y'know, $200 out the window and a new $1,000 procedure in it's place. Still got another month til I'm 18 and I can tell already that adulthood is going to be pretty miserable but ey' that's life I guess.


Now onto my main issue. I said it's been two weeks since I've cracked it and from what I've read online (I'm probably psyching myself out cause the net isn't always reliable.) a cracked tooth with the same symptoms as mine should be treated within 48 hours, well shit.

First up, I'm extremely nervous about losing the tooth as I've already stated, I mean a molar is a pretty big deal since I kinda need that to grind up and chew some delicious barbecue burgers and such.

Second my mom, she's mad at me when I bring up the tooth but doesn't seem to understand that accidents happen and it's not my fault that she doesn't have money saved up for stuff like this like a responsible adult. I know that sounds harsh but I've seen her spend money, primarily on those Lottery Scratchers, buy like two $20 scratchers, lose and say, "Oh well."

So now I have to sit here in pain probably going to already be missing a damn tooth or two before I'm 20 because she'd rather indulge her own personal pleasures before attending to business. I love my mom I honestly do and I know that emotions are running sorta high because this is kind of a big thing with a lot of $$$ involved but still I've been so tempted to call CPS because I feel like she's going to put it off once she gets paid.

And yeah credit should be an option but my mom has recently filed bankruptcy because she put herself in over $20,000 to $30,000 worth of debt because of a gambling problem attributed to some medication she was on, of course she's off of it and still buys those scratchers and stuff so I'm starting to doubt that it was the medication at this point, anyways, she filed for bankruptcy so naturally her credit score is down the shitter so she won't qualify for any credit card.

I know this post is kind of lengthy but I guess it's my attempt at trying to calm down a bit, hence the somewhat not-so-humorous humor in the beginning parts, I'm stuck and I'm actually losing my mind over this tooth.

Any and all help would be appreciated, provided it's somewhat serious.

 

[Enarete]

Dear Adam,

so sorry to hear about your difficult situation and I can feel your desperation about being dependent on someone who is supposed to take care of you but not getting it. I can imagine that things were and are quite tough at home and that the tooth issue is just a part of the problems you are dealing with at the moment. And of course you are nervous and afraid to lose the tooth.

I could imagine your mum getting mad, not because she really thinks it was your fault but out of the recognition that she actually should make sure you'll see a dentist but failed at making it possible for you. Some people act mad when in reality they are sad.

To your tooth. First of all, you don't really know which treatment will be needed and how much it would cost. To find it out you should see a dentist to get a diagnose and treatment options. I don't know where you live, how your health care system works and what options you have (and don't know what CPS is), but wondering if it would be possible to get money for a check up to find out what exactly you need and what options do you have. Then I am wondering if there is a dental school in your area or some service where you could get treatment for a reduced price. There is a link here which you may find useful:

How to Pay for Dental Treatment in the U.S.

Are you worried about not being able to afford dental treatment you desperately need? This page explains the options available in the US.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

And I really hope your mum recovers somehow and makes it possible for you to see a dentist as soon as possible..

All the best wishes for you, take care and keep us posted. May you get the needed treatment as soon as possible and may the situation with you mum calm down soon too.

 

[toothsome]

I’m really sorry you’re going through this. My mom also would not take me to the dentist as a kid when our insurance was bad, and would get mad at us when we would ask her to. Now I am an adult and am having to learn on my own how to deal with my own fears about going to the dentist and the cost associated.

Could there be a way for you to call your dentist on your own and explain the situation? Maybe they could offer you a discount, or work something out with your mother where she could pay on monthly installments.

Also, as the previous poster said, you dont’t Know how bad it is until you go in. It might not be nearly as bad as you think.

Finally, even if the tooth has to be replaced, you have options, including implants. You will still be able to eat your delicious bbq and other foods with an implant.

Keep us posted on how this goes!