Hi...My name is Daylina, but most people call me Day. I went to the dentist recently for what I thought was a simple cavity, and it turns out I have two cavitites eating two teeth away from the inside, and a third that's cracked and starting to crumble.

After my dental insurance, it'll cost about $3,000 to rebuild the structure of all three teeth and crown them. Plus, I have several other minor cavities that need to be fixed. My teeth are bigger than average and bell-shaped, so I've had dental issues my whole life.

I wiped out my meager savings account earlier this year because my diabetic cat needed two emergency vet visits. The rising cost of living without pay raises means my spouse and I don't have a lot of money left over after bills. We try to save where we can. We don't go on fancy or expensive vacations, we've cut out streaming services, we shop at Aldi for groceries, we've started selling stuff, I dye my own hair for less than $20/month, I haven't gotten a tattoo in several years (for those wondering about my photos) - we do everything we can to live within our means and save money.

My retirement plan does not allow loans or hardship withdrawals, and I do not have family with the ability to loan me the money. I've tried to find a dentist who does payment plans, but they all only offer CareCredit. My CareCredit card has a $1,200 limit, and is almost maxed out from what my savings couldn't cover for the vet visits. I've looked into local dental schools, but the waitlist is months long and my teeth probably won't make it before then.

I work as a journalist, and it's a fact of life that people judge your worth by how you look. Three missing teeth is not a good look when you're trying to do interviews. Missing teeth can also lead to misalignment, facial structure changes, and other issues. If it was just one tooth, I'd risk it. But I'm scared about losing three. And if I don't address this soon, the pain will get worse and I risk other adjacent teeth getting cavities/infections, too.

I'm filled with shame to even ask when so many people are struggling. I've tried to explore every other option and have failed. Anything helps, even a share. And I'm happy to show receipts.

Thank you for your consideration.