USA - people flood hospitals to take care of dental pain

CHAMPAIGN - Every year thousands of people flood hospitals to take care of dental pain."At first I went to the emergency room because I had a, my jaw swell up because I had an infection," explained Gilbert Tarleton who lives in Champaign.
Tarleton is on Medicaid, and while there are dental programs to help children, it's tough for adults.
"It's like pulling teeth to try and find someone to get it to pull (teeth)," said Tarleton.
The root of the problem stems from expensive dental care. Smile Healthy, which is a nonprofit that provides dental services to the undeserved, said between 8 to 9 people a day show up to the emergency room with oral health issues.

"Dental care it's tough to get access if you're uninsured and low income dental care is pretty expensive," said Nancy Greenwalt, executive director of Smile Healthy.
Even though people are going to the hospital for treatment, there's not much doctors can do. They will only give antibiotics and medicine for pain and to bring down the swelling. Doctors can't do oral operations.
"They sent me to parkland to get my teeth cleaned and X-rays to pull the teeth but they don't pull it," said Tarleton. .............

Illinois where fluoridation is state mandated: NYSCOF