Artist, 25, was left her ‘fighting for her life’ after a trip to the dentist to remove an infected wisdom tooth caused her to develop sepsis
- Emily Partington had a decaying wisdom tooth removed in December last year
- Immediately felt unwell and puffy, which she dismissed as part of the surgery
- Two days later she could not keep food down and went into septic shock
A woman was left fighting for her life after a trip to the dentist caused her to develop sepsis.
Emily Partington, 25, had a decaying wisdom tooth removed in December last year. She immediately noticed her face was puffy, but dismissed it as part of the procedure.
But just two days later, Miss Partington, of Yorkshire, became unable to keep her food down.
Concerned, she sent a picture of her bloated face to a doctor in the family, who urged her to go to hospital immediately.
While in the waiting room, Miss Partington went into septic shock and spent four days in hospital hooked up to IV antibiotics to kill the underlying infection.
Miss Partington, who works as an artist, was told the ‘pocket of poison’ in her tooth ‘spilled’ into her bloodstream when it was removed.
Although recovered, she still suffers the effects of her sepsis ordeal, including fatigue, frequent infections and ‘random headaches’.
Emily Partington was left fighting for her life after a trip to the dentist caused her to develop sepsis. She is pictured left during her four-day stint in hospital, battling the condition. The 25-year-old noticed her face was puffy (right) but thought it was just part of the procedure
Miss Partington opted to have her wisdom tooth removed after it repeatedly became infected.
‘After they did the surgery, I was so out of it I don’t remember getting home,’ she said.
‘The next day my face was very swollen, more so than when I had my other wisdom tooth out, but I figured it was because it was a more complex removal.’
Things took a dramatic turn for the worse when Miss Partington became unable to keep anything down in the days after the procedure.
‘I couldn’t eat, or keep down water or painkillers for two days, so I was rushed to emergency care as this wasn’t normal,’ she said.
‘Whilst in the waiting room of the emergency care ward, my body started going into septic shock and, when I saw a doctor, I was diagnosed with sepsis.
‘I was worried for my life – whilst I was in the waiting room I genuinely thought I would pass out and not wake up.’
While in hospital, Miss Partington – a 3D artist at Siemens – was given IV liquids and antibiotics to battle the infection.
‘I was very lucky my first doctor pumped me so full of fluids and antibiotics, otherwise I would have died on the second night,’ she said.
‘It’s believed the sepsis was contracted because the tooth was so infected when they took it out, so when it caused an open wound the infection went straight into my bloodstream.
‘So the main target in the hospital was to get rid of the infection as soon as possible.
‘And then I had to take six different types of medication when I went home to keep it at bay.’
Miss Partington’s face began to become inflamed immediately after she had her wisdom tooth taken out (seen left). By day two, it was so swollen (right) she could not keep food or painkillers down. She sent a picture to a doctor in her family who urged her to go to hospital straight away
Miss Partington was hooked up to an IV machine for days before she was allowed to go home. Even then she had to take six types of drugs (pictured) to keep her sepsis ‘at bay’
Although she beat sepsis, Miss Partington still endures the effects of the ordeal every day.
‘I still suffer with the side effects caused by sepsis,’ she said. ‘I have fatigue, a low immune system response, bone aches and random headaches.
‘But luckily, after having a check up recently, I had confirmation the sepsis had not come back.’
Miss Partington is speaking out to encourage others to seek help if they show signs of sepsis.
‘My advice would be to get your wisdom tooth removed before it becomes a pocket of poison and always trust your instincts when it comes to your body.
‘If I’d continued to believe these were just side effects of the surgery, and if I hadn’t sent a photo to a medical professional in my family, I’d be dead.
‘Make sure you get seen by a doctor – the worst thing that can happen is you’re wrong about being sick.’
WHAT IS SEPSIS?
Sepsis occurs when the body reacts to an infection by attacking its own organs and tissues.
Some 44,000 people die from sepsis every year in the UK. Worldwide, someone dies from the condition every 3.5 seconds.
Sepsis has similar symptoms to flu, gastroenteritis and a chest infection.
These include:
- Slurred speech or confusion
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain
- Passing no urine in a day
- Severe breathlessness
- It feels like you are dying
- Skin mottled or discoloured
Symptoms in children are:
- Fast breathing
- Fits or convulsions
- Mottled, bluish or pale skin
- Rashes that do not fade when pressed
- Lethargy
- Feeling abnormally cold
Under fives may be vomiting repeatedly, not feeding or not urinating for 12 hours.
Anyone can develop sepsis but it is most common in people who have recently had surgery, have a urinary catheter or have stayed in hospital for a long time.
Other at-risk people include those with weak immune systems, chemotherapy patients, pregnant women, the elderly and the very young.
Treatment varies depending on the site of the infection but involves antibiotics, IV fluids and oxygen, if necessary.
Source: UK Sepsis Trust and NHS Choices
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