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A very scary tale

March 22, 2007 by Ian Kerr

A recent article in the British Dental Journal (BDJ 2007) highlighted an alarming case of how poor dental care lead to a near fatal incident.

The case involved a 25-year-old woman living in London who experienced severe toothache over a period of several weeks, but was unable to get an adequate diagnosis or treatment for her condition. During the time of her extreme pain she visited 3 separate dentists, none of whom diagnosed her condition correctly (she had a large cavity under an old filling and a clearly inflamed nerve) or gave appropriate care. Left to her own devices the lady discovered that holding cold water against the tooth gave her some relief, albeit short lived. Unfortunately the lady swallowed the water after resting it against the tooth, which lead to a consumption of 10 litres or more per day. Such high levels of water consumption can, and in this case did, lead to dangerously low sodium levels in the body, which in turn resulted in a coma. The lady in question was admitted to hospital and stayed in a coma for 3 days, from which she made a full recovery. Her waking words from the coma were “I’ve got tooth ache” and this time, at last, they did not fall on deaf ears. She was transferred to the dental department of the hospital where her dental condition was treated quickly and painlessly.

This story, as well as painting a very poor picture of my profession, highlights an important diagnostic point that all patients should be aware of. The symptoms of this lady’s condition are very characteristic and should be well noted. Any one suffering from toothache with the following symptoms should seek urgent treatment, which will need to involve direct treatment of the affected tooth (usually removing the inflamed nerve under strong local anaesthetic). Antibiotics will not work in these cases.

  • Spontaneous and severe pain often described as an agonising throb
  • Pain worse on contact with heat (often cold in early stages, progressing to heat later on)
  • Prolonged pain after the heat has been taken away
  • Pain that wakes you in the night
  • A previous history of milder sensitivity to hot and cold drinks
  • Pain relieved by presence of cold liquid

If you would like to know more about this condition or the treatment of it then please do not hesitate to call the surgery and we will he happy to help you.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Dental Research Update

About Ian Kerr

Dr Ian Kerr BDS qualified in 1989 from Newcastle University Dental School and has worked ever since in both private practice and hospital settings. Following a short stint in a busy general practice in the North East Dr Kerr went to live and work in Trinidad, where he learnt a wide range of surgical skills and developed an interest in the treatment of tempero-mandibular joint dysfunction (TMD). On returning to the UK in 1994 Dr Kerr worked in a prestigious private practice in Bromley in Kent. During his time there he completed extensive post graduate training in advanced restorative techniques and further advanced his interest in TMD.

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About StoneRock Dental Care

StoneRock Dental Care is a stunning dental practice in Hawkhurst, Nr Cranbrook on the Kent and East Sussex border. We provide every level of care, from routine family dental visits to complete cosmetic dental makeovers, including dental implants, teeth whitening, veneers, bridges and other cosmetic dental and facial aesthetic techniques.

We know how hard it can be to choose a dentist and we know how tough it can be to decide what treatment is right for you, therefore we put your comfort and your well being at the heart of every treatment that we provide.

You can contact us on 01580 752202 or info@stonerock.co.uk

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