She went to an NHS dentist for a routine procedure and had to learn how to speak again
Antonia Glover was left with swelling and scarring (Kennedy News and Media)
A mum says a routine wisdom tooth extraction nearly killed her when it triggered deadly sepsis that left her in a coma. Antonia Glover started suffering from pain in her lower right wisdom tooth and was referred to an NHS dentist for an extraction.
The dentist carried out the procedure to remove her tooth, but the mum-of-two, 41, experienced facial swelling two days later and consulted the private dentist she regularly attends – who said she had an infection and prescribed painkillers.
When the swelling rapidly spread to Antonia’s neck and collarbone, her husband rushed her to hospital where she was given antibiotics and mouthwash to treat suspected glandular fever. It was only when the ‘extremely poorly’ hair salon owner returned to her private dentist a week after the extraction that she says she was told she might have sepsis so she returned to hospital.
Antonia had emergency surgery as the sepsis had spread to her vocal cords, throat and neck and was put in a medically induced coma for four days. The NHS says dental extraction may be necessary when a tooth is infected beyond repair.
However one UK private dentist warns that if an infection has spread beyond the immediate area, the swelling can mean it’s dangerous to effectively administer local anaesthetic and extraction should be held off.
Antonia is making a medical negligence claim against the NHS dentist as she believes she had a pre-existing infection and that the procedure should have been delayed. Speaking out about her experience Antonia, who had to re-learn how to speak and has been left with facial scarring, is now warning others to ‘be persistent’ when they know something isn’t right.
Antonia, from Selby, North Yorkshire, said: “I’m completely shocked this routine procedure could’ve killed me. If it hadn’t been for the thinking of my private dentist I wouldn’t be here, the kids wouldn’t have a mum. I was in and out of the dentist and took some paracetamol all within 35 minutes, the extraction didn’t go as I wanted it to.
“I was in excruciating pain the whole way through, which I expressed to the dentist. He cut my gum open, shattered the tooth and got all the pieces out. By Wednesday the swelling had increased and I really didn’t feel well. I was taking ibuprofen and paracetamol.
“I went back to my private dentist and he said ‘there’s an infection there and I’d like to put you on [a prescription antibiotic]. I started taking that on Wednesday and by Thursday evening the swelling had increased and it was all in my neck and my jaw had started to lock.
“The swelling was from my collarbone up and all the way on the right side of my face. There was huge swelling and I was unrecognisable. That whole side of my face was just a solid mass and it was red and hot.
“It was excruciating, I’ve never felt pain like it. It was just constant and there was no getting away from it. I could barely lift my head or get comfortable. I said to my husband ‘please will you watch me overnight because I’m scared I’m not going to breathe’.”
After being rushed to hospital on July 29, a week after her extraction on July 22, she was put in a medically induced coma and ventilated to stop the infection from spreading. Antonia said: “It was the most frightening experience of my life, your life can be taken so quickly.
“They’d gone in and drained what they could and put me in a coma to try and stop swelling and to fight the infection. There must’ve been infection in the tooth therefore the tooth should not have been extracted.
“I had to learn how to speak again because I didn’t have a full speech. My jaw was still really tight even though they managed to get a lot of the infections out, I had four drains in my neck. I wasn’t sleeping because of the fear of closing my eyes and not waking up.”
Two years on, Antonia has been put off visiting the doctors or dentist and still has numbness in her face and is now warning others to ‘be persistent’ when they know something isn’t right. Antonia said: “I’m so angry that the dentist put me in this position. The whole reason I’ve gone down the solicitors route is not about money, it’s about having justice that that should not happen to anyone else.
“Nobody should have to ever go through what I went through. Nobody should be dismissed or not taken seriously. You know your own body and when you’re not right, be persistent. I’ve never experienced being that poorly so I knew I wasn’t right. Sepsis acts so quickly you’ve got to be seen.
“I stand in front of the mirror and all I see is the scarring. paint my face on every day and come to work and try to be the most positive and be bubbly but there are days where it’s really difficult.”
A spokesperson for NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board said: “We are sorry to hear about Antonia’s experience. However, it is not appropriate for us to comment on the details of an individual patient’s care. The ICB takes concerns raised by patients seriously, and we work closely with providers to ensure high standards of care are maintained for residents in Humber and North Yorkshire.”