Ignoring dental problems can lead to serious complications that can occur at the most inopportune times and can even cause death. Here are the stories of two notable individuals, Cherelle Parker and Mike Williams.
A Missed Victory Party
Cherelle Parker made history as the first woman to be elected to the office of mayor in Philadelphia. On election night in May 2023, she began experiencing serious tooth pain and spent the night in the hospital missing her victory party. Parker had known since February that she needed to get a tooth pulled but delayed the procedure to focus on her campaign.
Complications Led to Death
Former football player, Mike Williams, of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, died from complications of bacterial sepsis stemming from tooth decay.
He died after suffering a workplace injury in which a steel beam fell onto his head at a Florida construction site. The initial head injury was not fatal, and the Medical Examiner released the results of his autopsy, stating that Williams’ cause of death was bacterial sepsis with cerebral abscesses and necrotizing lobar pneumonia from multiple dental caries and retained tooth roots. Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the narrowing or hardening of the arteries was listed as a contributing factor.
Be Proactive
Promptly addressing dental health concerns can help to avoid serious consequences.
Dental Health Consequences
While rare, infections related to dental caries can be fatal, emphasizing the strong association between oral and systemic health.
Undetected tooth infections can increase the risk of heart disease by almost three times, according to new research. The study, published in the Journal of Dental Research, has found that people with untreated tooth infections are 2.7 times more likely to have cardiovascular problems, such as coronary artery disease, than patients who have had treatment of dental infections.
Cardiovascular diseases contribute approximately 30 percent of all deaths globally.
Tooth infections are linked to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and problems with pregnancy.
A New Year’s Resolution
This New Year, resolve to address dental health. Brush, floss, and see your dentist for oral hygiene cleanings and checkups. Address dental health issues quickly. Don’t delay treatment. Undeniably, oral health affects overall systemic health. Avoid dental health consequences. Strive to be proactive!
Contact Pi Dental Center for an evaluation to schedule. (215) 646-6334.
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