Maggots in a child’s gums… and six other horrific things dentists have found in their patients’ mouths
Warning: These stories will have you reaching for the dental floss and mouthwash in a jiffy
YOUR dentist may not be your favourite person but spare a thought for some of the horrors that he or she faces.
Toothbrush-dodging patients can leave their molars in a terrible state and dentists are often left to clean up the mess, literally.
Now seven dentists have shared the worst things they have ever seen in a patient’s mouth with – and it’s not pretty.
If this doesn’t have you reaching for the dental floss, nothing will.
Mouth of Horrors
"A little boy jumped into the dental chair and was actually excited to have his first trip to the dentist.
His parents explained to me that he seemed to be rubbing one side of his mouth a lot with his hands. When I looked inside, I noticed his gums were very swollen—and found maggots in the area. After clearing them out, I taught him and his family about proper dental care." — Gary Glassman.
Gum Tree
"At the beginning of a root canal treatment, I started to clean out the root. Amongst the plaque and tarter, I found some sort of seed lodged in the gums and there looked to be a tiny plant growing out of it.
“After asking the patient a few questions, I realized it was a tomato seed sprouting a plant." — Gary Glassman again
Speedy Exit
“An elderly woman came in to have her denture repaired. Dentures are supposed to be taken out and cleaned daily, and it was clear that she hadn't taken hers out in months. “The smell of infected gums and rotten food was so rank that my dental assistant had to excuse herself to throw up." —Anonymous
Clean Break
"When I was doing a routine extraction, my patient's jaw freakishly broke in half. She had to have her mouth wired shut for two months." —Anonymous
Pimple Popping
"One patient of mine had an abscess so big that it spanned the entire half of his jaw. Another patient had one that needed to be drained, and his mouth was flooded with pus when I poked it. It was one of the grossest experiences ever." — Dr. Stephanie, (last name withheld)
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Hanging on by a Thread
"The worst case of periodontal disease I've ever seen involved a woman whose teeth were being held in place by her calculus bridge.
“Once I removed the tartar and plaque, her teeth were practically dangling and literally moved when she breathed. One good sneeze and her front teeth would've been history." —Anonymous
Buggy Beard
"During my first gig as a dental assistant, I was helping with a filling when I spotted an ant in our patient's mouth.
“The dentist and I soon realized that the patient's beard was full of bugs. It took everything we had to play it cool and act like everything was normal." —Anonymous
We recently revealed that singletons were more likely to avoid the dentist and have poor oral health.