Offering M-Powerment and Practical Tips at Your Finger Tips From A to Z on Daily Life for saving Time, Money, and Frustration

There are a number of things that have impacted my dental health over the years.  The first being that I was born and raised in Iowa. Unfortunately, Iowa was one of the last states to add fluoride to it's drinking water.  As I later learned, from every dentist I visited, this was the main reason I had so many cavities.  It was disheartening because it was something I had no knowledge of or could do anything about. At a young age I had always been such a fanatic with brushing and flossing my teeth at least 3 times a day.

 Then, when I was 12 years old.  I was swimming and dove in a shallow area, hitting my face on the pool’s bottom.  This resulted in a big chip out of my front tooth.  As I got older, the more self conscious I became about my smile.

 In my twenties, I could finally afford to have the chip fixed by bonding.  It looked so good that I had all 8 teeth on the top bonded.  That made a beautiful smile.  But at 23, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness, Fibromyalgia.

 Fibromyalgia has been a part of my life for 25 years.  What this illness has done to my dental health is atrocious.  I have Chronic Dry Mouth which has led to more tooth decay and can lead to oral infection.  It has caused my gums to prematurely recede and bleed. I've been diagnosed with TMJ and told by my dentist that I grind my teeth at night which is why they are worn down.  The bonding I had in my twenties, now at 48, is so worn away that the teeth that were filed down to be bonded are exposing nerves, causing increased pain and sensitivity.

 Due to the monumental fatigue and pain all over my body from Fibromyalgia, I have been unable to work and on disability for the past 8 years.

 This means no dental benefits. Financially, I scrape by from month to month.  Last year, I was then the victim of a horrible car accident. So far, I have had one surgery to repair damage to my right knee and need surgery on my left knee. I had one surgery and a few procedures on my back. Now I am left with 3 herniation in my neck and 2 in my lower back.  It's been the toughest year so far.  To win this contest and have my teeth repaired would mean the world to me.

 My future plans are to start a nonprofit organization to help others with Fibromyalgia.  By helping me, others will in turn be helped as well.  I have a vision and drive to help those with Fibromyalgia, and to bring awareness to our area and give back to those that suffer and offer caretakers a source to turn to.

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