A Massachusetts woman has stunned social media users with her dramatic experience following a wisdom teeth extraction.
Emily Duval, 23, from Boston, went viral after sharing the unexpected aftermath of her dental procedure.
On July 17, Duval visited her dental surgeon to have two wisdom teeth removed. She initially felt reassured as the procedure seemed to go smoothly. However, within days, she noticed troubling signs.
Duval’s face became severely swollen, which she initially attributed to a normal post-surgery reaction. By the third day, the swelling had worsened to the point where she felt as though her “face was going to explode.”
“I didn’t think much of it at first because I had a similar experience last year when my bottom tooth was removed due to infection. That swelling subsided after a few days,” Duval explained to Newsweek. “But this time was different. The pain was intense, and managing it while caring for my active 2-year-old made it even more challenging.”
Concerned by the extreme swelling affecting nearly the entire lower half of her face, Duval sought help. Despite her persistent pain, she was repeatedly told by medical professionals that the swelling was normal. She made two emergency room visits shortly after the procedure, where she was prescribed antibiotics and advised to use cold compresses to alleviate the swelling.
Doctors at the ER identified that Duval had developed an abscess as a result of the wisdom teeth removal. They advised her to follow up with her oral surgeon the following week. “The situation just kept worsening,” Duval said. “The dentist assured me that swelling was typical and that the worst days were usually between three and five. However, unlike my previous experience, they didn’t prescribe antibiotics right away.”
When Duval returned to her oral surgeon, the abscess was drained, and a wick was inserted for two days. According to the Mayo Clinic, an abscess is a pocket of pus caused by bacterial infection, often resulting from untreated dental cavities, injuries, or previous dental work. Symptoms include a severe toothache, fever, facial swelling, swollen lymph nodes, and discomfort while chewing. Treatment is necessary, even if the abscess ruptures on its own.