Don't sleep with your mouth open! Dentist removes maggots from mouth of patient

[webfact]

Don't sleep with your mouth open! Dentist removes maggots from mouth of patient

 

Picture: Daily News

 

A dentist in southern Thailand got a shock on finding a nest of a dozen maggots in the roof of the mouth of a bedridden patient.

 

Dr Thanatnon had been called to the house of the patient in Nakhon Sri Thammarat where a number of people were living laid off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

The patient had a feeding tube and a severe gum swelling and it was decided after consulting another doctor to take them to Phra Phrom Hospital.

 

The patient had a high temperature and protocols had to be observed.

 

After further advice was sought from colleagues elsewhere an incision was made and the dentist found what they described as a cave with 12 maggots.

 

The dentist said on Facebook that bedridden patient's should not sleep with their mouths open lest flies enter and lay their eggs.

 

The dentist said they had heard about this possibility during lectures but never seen it for real.

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

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[RJRS1301]

Who ever the carer is, obviously had not done any oral hygiene care for some time, as maggots will only consume rotting material.

Severe gum swelling, feeding tube, this person is obviously not a well pixie.

Hope they get better care and the carers are given support to maintain good hygiene for themselves and the patient.

 

 

[smedly]

horrifying but shows the typical environment were a lot of sick people in Thailand are left to literally rot at home 

 

Yes Thailand the Medical HUB of SEA but only if you are not a poor Thai from the sticks - no money to be made from these very sick people 

[Borzandy]

I always use a toothpick.

[lee b]

Please can someone tell me how they keep their mouth closed all night when asleep?

[timendres]

I brush my teeth. So far, no maggots...

[Kerryd]

36 minutes ago, lee b said:

Please can someone tell me how they keep their mouth closed all night when asleep?

Normally, as the patient apparently had a feeding tube, the mouth would be taped (lightly) shut, especially if he/she was also on oxygen (through a nose tube).

But in this case, the patient may not have been able to breathe through his/her nose. If there was a "cave" in the roof of the mouth with that many maggots (frikken huge ones too), it's likely their sinus cavity was compromised. So he'd have had to breath through his mouth, with a feeding tube in there as well.

If his mouth was in that bad of shape, I'd hate to think what the rest of him must be like. That is just plain sad.

As RJRS1301 mentioned, flies will normally only lay eggs in dead flesh so the roof of the guy's mouth probably got infected (maybe from having a feeding tube in there for who knows how long) and the flesh started to die.

My great-aunt was a nurse in California back when I was a lad. She told me how the hospital used maggots to eat the dead flesh from around some wounds, so the doctor wouldn't have to slice it off (and take some "live" flesh with it). Once the dead flesh was gone, the maggots would drop off and they could clean and bandage the wound.

Reminds me of why I never want to get "old" or end up having to rely on other people to take care of me.

[hhinhh]

Use your facemask at night, it prevents you from maggots ... and herpes

[digger70]

4 hours ago, lee b said:

Please can someone tell me how they keep their mouth closed all night when asleep?

Chin strap .       A snoring chin strap works by supporting your chin during sleep, which in turn, keeps your mouth closed. This prevents air from traveling to and from your throat, therefore minimizing the rapid flapping that is the primary cause of the sound that snorers make.

[sawadee1947]

Horrible story. 

Those booze junkies should remember cause most alcs are sleeping with mouth wide open 

????????

[lee b]

5 hours ago, digger70 said:

Chin strap .       A snoring chin strap works by supporting your chin during sleep, which in turn, keeps your mouth closed. This prevents air from traveling to and from your throat, therefore minimizing the rapid flapping that is the primary cause of the sound that snorers make.

fair play

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, lee b said:

Please can someone tell me how they keep their mouth closed all night when asleep?

I'll ask the missus and let you know, it's the only time she's quiet.