Tooth Infection Kills Unemployed Man

An unemployed man died last week because he couldn't afford treatment for his infected third molar, according to news reports.

Citing physicians and family remembers, Cincinnati's WLWT television station said the infection killed 24-year-old Kyle Willis when it spread from his tooth to his brain.

Dentists advised Willis, the nephew of funk bass player Bootsy Collins, to have the tooth extracted 2 weeks earlier, but Willis had no insurance and decided to wait, according to the report.

"He should have gone to the dentist to take care of the toothache, and it wouldn't have escalated to this. It's a lesson learned by all," said Willis' aunt, Patti Collins.

Suffering from headaches and swelling, Willis later visited an emergency department, where he got prescriptions for antibiotics and analgesics.

He could only afford 1 of the prescriptions and chose the pain medicine. Willis felt better, but swelling in his brain killed him.

Read more on the source :
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/749411