NEED TO KNOW
- Bri Over, who lives with a chronic illness, is experiencing painful tooth decay
- The 23-year-old from Ohio has sought estimates from dental practices nationwide and internationally for the dental implants she needs
- Now, she’s turning to social media for help
After years of struggling with her dental health, Bri Over is turning to TikTok for help.
Over, 23, who is from Ashland, Ohio, has been posting videos on TikTok for the past few months that show her teeth — some of which are missing, cracked or discolored, causing her significant discomfort.
In her videos — where she shares stories about herself or commits to dancing until she can pay for her teeth — Over has been leaving her GoFundMe link to ask people to help her address her dental concerns.
“Battling mental health as a teenager got the best of me, and these are the lasting effects I am left to deal with. I also have chronic illnesses that contribute to the deterioration of my teeth and dental health,” Over wrote in the GoFundMe description.
“I am in need of extractions of all teeth, and would like to go the route of implant/snap-in dentures as replacements, as I am so young, I would like to have a long lasting option that does not need much upkeep or replacement,” Over continued in the GoFundMe description. “The most recent quote I have received from a dentist was an estimate of $50,000. My family and I are not in a position where we can afford such a cost.”
“I’ve been engaged to my fiancé for almost 2 years now, and I would really like to be able to comfortably smile in our wedding pictures as well as sleep throughout the night without waking up due to pain. I would be very appreciative of anything I receive. Thank you so much for your support,” Over concluded.
Over tells PEOPLE exclusively, “After more than five years of trying to save on my own, I came to the difficult realization that I simply would not be able to cover the cost of the dental work I need on my own.”
“I had wrestled with the idea of starting a GoFundMe for my teeth for years, but I never felt like I could or should ask for help. This year, with encouragement from my family and friends, I finally realized that it was okay to do so,” Over continues.
“Once I created the GoFundMe, I also had a very small platform on TikTok and knew I needed a way to get eyes on it. I thought, what better way than to lean into what originally made TikTok what it was, dancing? I used the song ‘My Shiny Teeth and Me’ from the TV show The Fairly OddParents as a lighthearted, slightly funny choice and quickly noticed that this content was getting the most engagement on my page, especially when tied to my fundraiser,” Over explains of her TikTok account.
Over explains that her struggles with her teeth have worsened over time. “I have poor genetics when it comes to health in general, including dental health. I live with several chronic illnesses and am still in the investigative and diagnostic process for additional symptoms and conditions. One of these conditions, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, is known to contribute to dental deterioration and structural issues with teeth,” Over tells PEOPLE.
“Combined with limited access to affordable dental care and periods of struggling with my mental health, this has led to progressive decay, deterioration and even breakage of otherwise healthy teeth over time,” Over continues. “It has been a gradual process, not something that happened overnight. I want to get my teeth fixed so I can eat and drink without pain, sleep comfortably without waking up in pain throughout the night, and be able to smile without feeling self-conscious.”
Over says, “I think a lot of people don’t realize how much things like health, dignity and confidence are tied to something as basic as being able to smile. You don’t miss it until it’s taken from you.”
Over is open to different options, but is hoping to find a permanent solution for her teeth. “Right now, the priority is to have the remainder of my unhealthy teeth extracted when I am able to, ideally with some form of replacement available immediately afterward. If a permanent solution is not financially possible right away, that may mean temporary traditional dentures,” Over explains.
“Ideally, because I am so young, I would like a permanent, non-removable option such as dental implants or fixed implant-supported dentures. I want a solution that will last long term and minimize bone loss, which is a concern with traditional removable dentures,” Over adds.
Bri Over/TikTok
Over has sought out estimates for her dental work nationwide and even sought information on receiving the necessary procedures internationally. She tells PEOPLE that her hometown dentist quoted her close to $1,800 per tooth for implants. Another dental practice nearby quoted her approximately $50,000 for a full mouth rehabilitation with implants. The same practice also provided estimates of $8,000 to $12,000 for traditional dentures, and $20,000 to $25,000 for an upper traditional denture with an implant-supported lower denture.
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“I expanded my search nationwide, and the most affordable United States option I found was about $20,000 for a full mouth implant procedure through a practice in Las Vegas. Most of these quotes were for procedures commonly known as All on 4 or All on X implant systems,” Over explains.
Discouraged by the options available in the U.S., Over went on to receive estimates from practices in Mexico, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and India. “The lowest quote I received so far was just over $10,000 in India for an All on 4 procedure. However, once travel, accommodations, and the possibility of a second trip for permanent implants were factored in, the total cost would likely be closer to $16,000 or more,” Over adds.
While she is out of work, Over has begun selling baked goods in her community to help raise the funds for her dental surgery.
“I have received an overwhelming amount of kindness, support, and advice, much of it from people who were strangers before this. Many people share that dental care should be more accessible and affordable, which I completely agree with, no one should have to choose between living in pain and going into debt just to receive basic dental care. Others offer tips for managing the daily pain and the recurring infections I deal with every few months, or simply send well wishes,” Over says of the viral online response.
However, Over adds that “there are also hateful comments.”
“People make assumptions about why my teeth look the way they do, often accusing me of not brushing my teeth, which is not true. Those comments are hard to read, especially when they are about something I cannot change right now, and there are days when I avoid reading comments altogether,” Over says.
“That said, the kindness truly outweighs the cruelty. I still think about something a woman told me early on, before any of my videos gained traction. She warned me that hate would come, but so would support, and that I needed to focus on the kindness. She was right. Putting yourself out there, especially in a vulnerable way, comes with both,” Over tells PEOPLE.
Thus far, Over has raised nearly $2,000 through GoFundMe.
