How a Tooth Infection Killed a 26-Year-Old California Man
Here’s more proof of the oral systemic health connection and the importance of getting treatment for an oral infection.
The mouth is the gateway to the whole body, and, tragically, a young father recently found that out when a tooth infection spread to his lungs and caused his untimely death at the age of 26.
Vadim Kondratyuk Anatoliyevich, a California man, complained of a toothache 2 weeks ago while driving a truck from California to New York, reported FOX 40 news in Sacramento. He reportedly stopped in Oklahoma and visited a dentist, who cleaned the infected tooth and prescribed antibiotics. His condition initially improved, but eventually the infection worsened and he became too weak to drive. His brother drove out to New York to drive him home, and they made it to Utah before he checked into a hospital.
A few days later, a doctor told the man’s widow, Nataliya, that her husband was not expected to live because the bacteria and infection had spread to his lungs. Nataliya made it out to the hospital and was by her husband's side when he passed away on the morning of Jan. 30th.
Take the time to educate your patients on the importance of treating any suspected oral infection.
This man reportedly had diabetes and it’s unclear whether his diabetes had anything to do with his tooth infection or his death. But it’s a known fact that individuals with compromised immune systems have an increased risk of a bacterial infection spreading from their tooth to the rest of their body.
A recent poll showed more than 1/3 of Americans skip routine dental visits each year, neglecting oral hygiene and often facing expensive fixes later.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert at the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland said any tooth infection has the possibility to progress into something worse if not properly, and aggressively dealth with.
Questions remain about the terrible case, the infection could have resisted antibiotics, or the original dental care may have been incomplete. Either way, this is an opportunity to warn patients about the importance of visiting a dental professional regularly.