More children are visiting emergency rooms for tooth pain

Eight-year-old Jonah struggled with severe dental pain, leading his parents to repeatedly take him to the emergency room, where he received no dental care. Nationwide, ER visits for preventable dental issues among children have surged, with a 60% increase from 2019 to 2022. Contributing factors include a shortage of pediatric dental professionals and policy changes under the Trump administration that threaten dental coverage for low-income families. The pandemic has exacerbated these issues, leading to worse oral health among children.

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