As I continue to suffer through my dental troubles along with the 85 percent of veterans who are ineligible for care through the Department Of Veterans Affairs, there really are no easy fixes for us.

The answers are root canals and extractions. Two of the most expensive and physically daunting procedures out there.

Let’s answer the quick question right away. Why do we let our teeth get this bad in the first place? It can be a variety of reasons.

Myself, I have been grinding my teeth for a long time. And I didn’t know I was doing it. Mouth guards are also expensive. Bruxism is absolutely devastating on teeth.

Others might have an accident. Then they are put in a position where they pay for an ultra costly root canal, which also requires an expensive crown. This is a couple of thousands of dollars, and insurance often doesn’t cover this type of intensive treatment or barely scratches the surface.

This means we go for the extraction. And very often, it is a surgical extraction, which is more expensive.

And I’ll never forget the warning from the dentist who did my first extraction. “The other teeth will have to pick up the workload” she said staring down her glasses with an inflection of caution.

She was right.

And extractions lead to more extractions, and it’s remarkable how few teeth you realize you have when you actually need them.

It’s also a sad realization when you can’t laugh because you’re too embarrassed to do so.

We must continue to find paths for veterans to get dental care to prevent these painful and expensive consequences from happening to being with.