To everyone who sees this,

If you've ever been afraid of going to the dentist, I hope you'll understand where I'm coming from.

I've never had my wisdom teeth removed, and I struggled with addiction in my past. That chapter of my life is over, and I want to be honest about it because I believe honesty matters.

At one point, I lost custody of my children because of my addiction. By the grace of God and a lot of hard work, I got clean, turned my life around, and earned custody of my kids back. Today I work five days a week to provide for my family, and my children are my whole world.

The pain from my teeth has become unbearable. I hate looking in the mirror because all I can think about is that this is what my kids see when I smile. It's heartbreaking, and it's affected my confidence and my daily life.

I hate admitting this, but I've been drinking alcohol just to dull the pain and help me fall asleep so I can get enough rest to make it to work the next day. I know that's not a solution, and I don't want to go down that road.

This pain is terrible, and I honestly don't know what else to do. This feels like my last hope.

I'm not asking because I think I'm entitled to anything. I'm simply asking for a chance. If anyone is willing to help me get the dental care I desperately need, I would be more grateful than I could ever put into words.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.