Written by Mark Van Steenwyk : February 17, 2007
A big chunk of my tooth broke off on the way home from a wedding tonight. Now the “chewy” center of one of my molars is exposed. I’m currently uninsured and broke, and am heading out of town on Tuesday. Anyone know of a free or cheap dental clinic in Minneapolis?
2 Responses to “tooth woes”
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I can relate to your dental problems, because I’ve had my share of such problems. Like you, I have often experienced such problems when I was uninsured and unable to pay normal dental fees.
I’m currently from Chicago, not Minneapolis, so I don’t know much about dental clinics in your area. However, in the early nineties, I once received dental help through a Chicago clinic associated with the Salvation Army. You might want to call the Salvation Army and see if they offer anything of that nature in Minneapolis.
You’re probably aware that charitable dental clinics rarely if ever offer complex treatments such as root canals. Extraction is a lot cheaper. That stinks, if one has already lost a number of teeth in the past. But at least extraction usually alleviates the pain, unless of course you get a so-called “dry socket” (which, in reality, is anything but dry). That happened to me once. Afterwards, I had partial lock-jaw for several months, and couldn’t open my mouth wide enough to eat certain foods (such as thick sandwiches). Plus, my tooth bled continuously. Fortunately, the problem went away eventually. And I didn’t starve in the meantime.
I’ll pray for you, regarding your tooth. If I could do more to help, I would.
I hope that you, in turn, will pray for me. I have been out of work for roughly a month and a half. I’ve fallen behind on my rent, and I can’t continue to fall behind without the risk of eviction.
I did successfully apply for food stamps the other day, but what I really need is a good job. Getting one may be an uphill battle because of the involuntary circumstances in which I lost my last 2 jobs. But I am trying to keep my spirits up and to have faith that the Lord will once again provide for me.
I wrote the following song lyrics (with an accompanying tune) in late 2005 when experiencing similar problems:
God is gonna’ take care of me,
even though how is hard to see.
Faithful to him, I have got to be,
for God will take care of me.
In the middle of the darkest night,
I have got to put up a fight.
Resist the Devil with all my might,
for I’m walking by faith and not by sight.
I hope that the preceding lyrics are a blessing to you as you struggle with your own financial issues.
Go to the student clinic at the University of MN. It’s half price and they’ll take emergency cases like yours. If money’s immediately a problem contact my uncle rob or family.
http://www.dentistry.umn.edu/patients/home.html
dlw