The month of April marks National Oral Health Month, however, not everyone has access to getting the oral health care they need.
Adults who can't afford this type of care are often left feeling the pain.
This has been an issue that the Chatham-Kent Board of Health has been working to address with the province.
During a meeting Wednesday morning, members of the board agreed to submit a resolution to the Association of Public Health Agencies. This is to further express the need for low-income adults and seniors to be included in publicly funded oral health programs.
In quick support of this was board member and Councillor Bob Myers. He says it's time for more to be done to help adults get proper dental care.
"For a long time we've had a program to help young kids and that's been great," says Myers. "But as we get older we still have some of those problems."
Health boards from across the province along with other organizations have called upon the provincial government to expand oral care services.
The province has set a target to extend the oral health programs, but not until 2025.
"We just have to get the province on-board and get it going," says Myers. "The actual cost of the health care system is more than it needs to be."
Myers adds it would be nice if the program would expand in the next year but he's not going to hold his breath. However, when the expansion does eventually happen, Myers says it'll probably be run very similar to how the Healthy Smiles Ontario program currently runs for young children in low-income families.