A dental infection doesn't stay in your mouth. Bacteria from untreated cavities, infections, and broken teeth enter your bloodstream daily. From there, they can travel to your heart, lungs, and brain — causing life-threatening conditions including sepsis, brain abscesses, heart valve infections, and pneumonia.
New research now directly links gum disease and untreated cavities to increased stroke risk. Thousands of Americans are hospitalized every year for dental infections that spread. What starts as a toothache you "live with" can become a medical emergency that no amount of antibiotics can reverse.
NFL Player Mike Williams — Dead at 36 from Untreated Tooth Infections.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams passed away in September 2023. The medical examiner determined his cause of death was bacterial sepsis with brain abscesses and necrotizing pneumonia — caused by multiple untreated cavities and retained tooth roots. A 36-year-old professional athlete lost his life because dental problems went untreated.
Your dental health is your overall health. Don't wait for pain to become an emergency.