Flesh Eating Bacteria Leads to Death After Wisdom Teeth Removal

Earlier this year (2014) in February, I posted about an Eighteen Year Old Music Student in Portland Dies After Wisdom Teeth Removal. This occurred in Maine. It has been since confirmed by a medical examiner, that the 18 year old man died after his wisdom teeth extraction by developing necrotizing fasciitis. This is a flesh eating bacteria which can ravage muscles and skin tissue.

A quote is provided (see source below)  by the infection control expert from the American Dental Association who says he has never heard of necrotizing fasciitis after wisdom teeth extractions. I am not quite sure why he says this as cases have appeared of this in the literature and I have discussed this on the wisdom teeth complications page over at http://www.teethremoval.com/complications.html.

Another case of death occurring from necrotizing fasciitis after wisdom teeth extraction occurred to a 25 year old man in 2007, in Seattle, Washington. See Carol Smith. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Enough Scrutiny in Dental Deaths? July 15, 2008. http://www.seattlepi.com/local/370740_dentists15.html. In this case it took 3 days after the wisdom teeth extraction until death. This was also the number of days before death in the case in Maine for the 18 year old male.

Source: Tomas Jivanda, June 22, 2014, The Independent, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/flesheating-bacteria-kills-teen-following-routine-wisdom-teeth-extraction-9554772.html

1 thought on “Flesh Eating Bacteria Leads to Death After Wisdom Teeth Removal”

Leave a Comment