Readers and Tweeters Are Horrified by Harm Tied to Dental Device

Letters to the Editor is a periodic feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a assortment. We edit for length and clarity and require full names.

Tooth-Gnashing Historical past Repeats Itself

In reading about the AGGA (Anterior Advancement Assistance Appliance) dental equipment and the linked troubles (“This Dental Device Was Offered to Take care of Patients’ Jaws. Lawsuits Declare It Wrecked Their Teeth,” March 1), I pointed out in your post no reference to a very similar trouble with the proplast-teflon products to handle TMJ, or temporomandibular joint problem, from the 1980s and ’90s, which brought on equivalent damages. It amazes me that essentially the identical tale transpired all over again. The proplast-teflon item even resulted in congressional-stage investigations. And the solution was summarily taken off by Food and drug administration get during the United States.

Thank you for your good investigative do the job.

— Dr. Abbey Strauss, Boca Raton, Florida

Horrifying tale. Dental machine marketed without the need of undergoing Fda regulation, many stories of sufferers with wrecked jaws and enamel. https://t.co/tCqFk6PFsI through @khnews

— Joseph Ross (@jsross119) March 15, 2023

— Dr. Joseph Ross, New Haven, Connecticut

This problem would seem to increase outside of the AGGA device to the Las Vegas Institute’s total methodology. The exact point was promised/completed to me with braces by LVI-properly trained dental specialists. I was in braces for six many years, and my teeth have areas they can not fill now — all though I’m still shelling out off my personal debt and not able to find the money for further do the job.

— Chrystal Wilson, Roanoke, Virginia

It can be just embarrassing that this happens right here.https://t.co/v1kNXof5VQ

— doug hirsch (@dougjoe) February 28, 2023

— Doug Hirsch, CEO of GoodRx, Santa Monica, California

Slipping Via a Billing Loophole

I enable assist the sort of network that this write-up references (“Bill of the Thirty day period: Surprise-Billing Law Loophole: When ‘Out of Network’ Doesn’t Rather Signify Out of Community, Feb. 28). I feel it is essential for KHN to educate people today on slim-network products and solutions, which was the solution the Laskey family picked for their health care coverage advantages. These goods have reduced every month quality costs for individuals who select into them, like the Laskeys, but lessen their in-network service provider choices, for this reason the expression “narrow community.”

These narrow networks may possibly carry out instructional webinars, go to open-enrollment fairs, and have a web-site (in addition to the payer’s site) so that customers are educated about the slender-network supplying. With the adoption of a lot more price-based mostly care in the United states, slim networks are most likely to grow to be extra common, and far more persons will have to have to fully grasp the coverage items, and their networks.

— David Mayo, Denver

#CDC‘s 2016 tips that led to crackdown on #opioid prescribing tactics now changed with new recommendations encouraging doctors to target on requirements of person individuals. But the destruction is carried out. https://t.co/J0eNwVkj5b #chronicpain #painmanagement #opioidcrisis #DEA #Food and drug administration

— Greg Slabodkin (@Slabodkin) March 15, 2023

— Greg Slabodkin, Niagara Falls, New York

Persistent Agony Patients’ Continual Rx Hurdles

Observed the report about how the Centers for Ailment Command and Prevention rules the previous few several years have worried way too many physicians right until hardly any prescribe opioids any more (“New CDC Opioid Pointers: As well Little, Too Late for Long-term Agony Individuals?” March 15).

Just needed to chime in that I am getting the precise very same problem. I have long-term pain, arthritis throughout my entire body, a degenerative disc condition, and even much more documented clinical troubles. I not too long ago broke my collarbone and was supplied only a two-working day provide of opioid treatment for it. And my discomfort doctor’s place of work does not even prescribe me opioids.

I have also been treated horribly in the earlier when I was on an opioid. And if it weren’t for my loved ones doctor’s knowledge, I would even now be dwelling in so significantly discomfort that lifetime appeared too difficult to reside with this substantially misery. I’m on what they connect with Tylenol 4, with codeine it scarcely retains the pain back again, but I continue to can not cope with cold weather (and I dislike the warmth) or even carrying out standard chores all around my house without likely into these a lousy pain condition I have to stay in bed. If I ended up equipped to get the soreness medicine correct for my ailment, I could basically get pleasure from things once again. But mainly because of the “opioid disaster,” that would make me an addict, by most doctor’s opinions. I know the CDC didn’t imply to make many serious pain people reside in distress, but in my practical experience, that’s particularly what has took place. And there is very little I can do about it.

So I wished to thank you for the write-up mainly because I do not consider society or the health-related local community genuinely understands what the guidelines did to individuals like individuals in your article, or like me possibly. Thank you so significantly for composing that!

— Michelle Shivpuri, Cedar Hill, Texas

Fantastic to see other journalists at last finding this story up https://t.co/b3BN48vE8o but so several are however enthusiastically repeating myths about ache and opioids

— Maia Szalavitz (@maiasz) March 15, 2023

— Maia Szalavitz, New York City

Price tag-Slicing Tools You Can Use

I am a 66-year-outdated feminine who had a colonoscopy and polyps eradicated at a clinic. This was my to start with screening of this kind, and upon completion I was billed $882 out-of-pocket. Luckily I was listening to your “Invoice of the Thirty day period” coverage on South Carolina general public radio. It educated me of my legal rights to preventive care less than Obamacare. I was equipped to dispute the monthly bill with achievement. But I will have to include right here that my well being insurance coverage company tried out to discourage me from tough this invoice. It built me experience that the bill was accurate and that I must feel blessed that it was only that considerably. I was incredibly let down, so I persisted to fill out a different dispute in which I quoted KHN and threatened further action. Within a few months, my insurance company rescinded the bill I experienced to pay out $. Significant thanks to KHN-NPR’s “Bill of the Month”!

— Angela Thomas, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

‘The veterinary tranquilizer xylazine – the option du jour of nearby drug sellers to slash fentanyl – can guide to necrotic ulcers and leaves street medics and medical professionals bewildered about how greatest to offer with this wave of the opioid crisis’ https://t.co/pP1AQUHkmn#Xylazine

— Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai (@gbiondizoccai) February 24, 2023

— Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai, Rome

Warning: Portray a Graphic Photo of Drug Use

I just lately came across your Kensington “tranq dope” short article (“Postcard from a Philadelphia community: As Opioids Mixed With Animal Tranquilizers Get there in Kensington, So Do Alarming Health Challenges,” Feb. 15). I have been in the wellness treatment subject for 20-as well as many years and not long ago married a recovering addict, so it brought back a negative and vivid memory I’d like to share with the local community of Kensington — the customers, as very well as the to start with responders, and health care companies, and wound treatment cure teams who so graciously phase in and up to support folks struggling from xylazine’s horrific outcomes.

My partner, Joshua, who became addicted to opioids after becoming recommended painkillers for shoulder surgical procedure 20 years in the past, was a earlier xylazine user only because it was in just about all of the supposed “heroin” luggage he bought. 1 working day he stated to me, “Why does it experience like a little something is crawling below my pores and skin?” Immediately after searching at his arms, with huge terrible-on the lookout sores on them, I replied, “I have no clue.” Considering he was just “high” and building it up or just hallucinating, I went back again to bed. A couple hours later, he woke me declaring there were being worms or maggots coming out of his arms. So, again, I go into the bathroom with him to see what he was speaking about, and sure plenty of it undoubtedly looked particularly like what he had explained. Plainly, he required to be checked out, but being a stubborn, bullheaded male — together with currently being labeled, judged, and treated poorly earlier when seeking medical attention — he did not seek care. A few times afterwards, he was continue to pulling these things out of his arms and, finally, I persuaded him to be seen by a medical doctor. The complete doctor’s place of work could not believe what they had been seeking at, so just after heading more than almost everything it could have been, we learned that it was, in truth, a parasite. The doctor’s ideal clarification was that the drug Josh experienced injected should have been contaminated with larvae, and it was producing parasites.

Now let us just take a minute and think about this. Hmm. Horse tranquilizer, horseflies, maggots, or worms … whichever you’d like to call them. It would make sense, doesn’t it? So just use warning when dealing with folks and you should view for any feasible parasites that could not be addressed thoroughly. My partner was provided antibiotics, a steroid, and a product to take care of the issue and is executing great now, but the critters have left unpleasant scars on his arms for him to have a each day reminder of, for sure.

“Tranq dope” is so challenging to get off of, and the detox and withdrawal signs or symptoms are exceptionally tricky to manage and get over, my partner claims. Also, there’s not enough info on how to treat or counteract the indications. After being cleanse for just about a year, he relapsed again and went back to the streets of Philly. He is at this time incarcerated at a Montgomery County correctional facility, aiding his fellow inmates develop into conscious of how critical and perilous xylazine seriously is. Our dream is to sometime open a absolutely practical risk-free property and outreach program inside the Philadelphia area to help as many people today as probable and present them a far better way of existence and enable them get started their new journey.

— Jill Romanishan, Williamsport, Pennsylvania

I really don’t know if anybody remembers the drug that Russians have been addicted far too in the 2000-2010 era. #Krokodil — really addictive, flesh taking in sores which led to amputations, most normally: dying. Now it’s #tranq https://t.co/jCkPJd6xwg

— RiverRatDoc (@RiverRatDoc) March 13, 2023

—D.B. Pritt, Clayton, New York

Shoring Up Protection Ahead of the Terrific Unwinding

Thousands and thousands of Us residents could get rid of Medicaid protection quickly (“Medicaid Wellness Programs Consider to Defend Associates — And Profits — Through Unwinding,” March 9). This problem could be solved seamlessly by Congress increasing public selection health insurance plan in all states in 2023. Do petition the White Household, the full U.S. Senate, and the whole House of Associates to increase it in all 50 states to offer well being care to tens of millions of People nonetheless without wellness care or who are about to get rid of point out Medicaid coverage shortly.

— Piotr Sliwka, Manassas Park, Virginia

Medicaid Overall health Programs Try to Safeguard Members — And Profits — Throughout Unwinding https://t.co/fv5GyqWXzu by using @khnews // Get support from the health plan for the duration of Medicaid unwinding. they really don’t want to reduce members or continuity of care possibly.

— Marcella Maguire, Ph.D. (@Cella65) March 9, 2023

— Marcella Maguire, Philadelphia