Pulls Tooth with Pliers 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
AN Edinburgh man has died from blood poisoning after apparently trying to remove a diseased tooth with a pair of pliers. Colin McKenna, 30, was suffering severe toothache but did not want to go to the dentist - so decided to try to remove the sore tooth himself.
Friends said his attempt with a pair of pliers failed, leaving him with further injuries to the inside of his mouth.
He was found unconscious by friends hours after the attempt and rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he was placed in intensive care.
It later emerged that he was suffering from an infection related to the toothache and had been in urgent need of medical attention.
He died on Sunday, two weeks after being admitted to hospital, and police at this stage believe the cause of death was septicaemia, a form of blood poisoning linked to his infected tooth.
Friends in the Oxgangs area of the city said he did not want to visit the dentist to sort out the toothache so had resorted to extreme measures to get rid of the pain.
One family friend said: "Colin was a well-liked man locally so this is tragic.
"He was telling people that he was in agony with his tooth but for some reason he wouldn’t go to the dentist.
"On the day he was found unconscious he seemed to be a bit dazed. He was telling people that he had tried to take the tooth out with a pair of pliers.
"He was found in a friend’s flat later on lying unconscious.
"Apparently his head was badly swollen and he was not breathing. His family are devastated."
It is understood that Mr McKenna, who was unemployed, had attempted to remove the tooth at a friend’s home where he was staying in the Caerketton Court high rise block in Oxgangs.
A police spokesman said they could not comment on Mr McKenna’s death until the results of a post-mortem examination were complete.
He said: "We can confirm that a 30-year-old man has died at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on Sunday. A post-mortem examination is being carried out."
However, a police source said that his death appeared to be caused by septicaemia, or blood poisoning, linked to an infected tooth.
The source said: "This appears to be a tragic set of circumstances.
"It appears that the man was suffering from septicaemia linked to an infected tooth.
"That appears to be the cause of death." Mr McKenna’s family were not available for comment at their home in Magdalene Avenue, Portobello, today.
A police spokesman said: "It does not appear to be a suspicious death but a report will be prepared for the procurator fiscal."
Dentist Kieran Fallon, a spokesman for the British Dental Association, today warned that no-one should ever attempt to remove their own teeth.
He said: "If anyone is suffering from severe toothache or an abscess it is important to seek treatment from a dentist.
"Treatment normally consists of draining the abscess followed by root canal treatment or removal of the tooth. In addition, antibiotics may be prescribed.
"Patients should never try to treat an abscess by themselves and any attempt to remove one’s own tooth is likely to fail and could be extremely dangerous."
He said it was extremely rare for blood poisoning to result from a dental problem, saying: "Septicaemia is an extremely rare outcome of a dental abscess.
"However, this sad case illustrates the importance of seeking professional advice promptly for any dental problem."
Police have investigated claims that Mr McKenna was assaulted hours before he collapsed on June 30, but are not understood to be linking his death to any other incident.
Submitted on 07/18/2002
Submitted by:
Gin
Reference:
Edinburgh News, July 18, 2002
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