Palm Beach County Jail inmate upset with sheriff's office about lack of dental floss

An inmate in the Palm Beach County Jail has filed a civil complaint against the Sheriff's Office for not providing dental floss.

In a handwritten complaint filed against Sheriff Ric Bradshaw with the United States District Court, 22-year-old Joel Flores laid out his concerns.

"Palm Beach County Jail Administration does not provide dental floss to inmates through property or the commissary, making it completely impossible to obtain and use as directed by the American Dental Association," Flores wrote in the Oct. 1 complaint.

Flores, who was booked in jail after a July robbery, said he's concerned because dental floss is a part of normal everyday hygiene.

"The lack of it is causing me oral abscesses, pain, discomfort, tooth decay (loss), and could contribute to endocarditis," he wrote.

Endocarditis, according to Flores' complaint, can lead to infection and death.

In closing, Flores made some requests.

"I want Palm Beach County Jail to be ordered by the court to make dental floss available to inmates," he wrote. "I want monetary compensation for my pain and suffering and emotional distress, as well as future required dental care."

 

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