The sexagenarian did not want to go to the dentist for fear of catching Covid-19, a situation that is increasingly common.
- Hemoptysis is the rejection, during coughing, of blood from the airways.
- For treatment, the affected patient will be infused and a treatment based on vasoconstrictors will be administered.
A woman damaged her lungs due to lack of dental treatment, according to a new report published in the BMJ.
spit blood
“A 60-year-old woman presented to us after an abnormal chest X-ray”, say the doctors. Two months before, the patient had felt one of her teeth explode while eating popcorn, without being able to recover the missing fragments. For fear of catching Covid-19, she then did not consult her dentist for treatment, preferring to tinker herself with a filling.
After several weeks of self-medication, the 60-year-old, who had no history of lung disease, began to feel discomfort on the left side of her chest. Her throat also began to burn, and then she coughed up three coin-sized pieces of blood. After several examinations, the doctors identified “hemoptysis and associated lung injury”, which they fortunately succeeded in treating.
Decrease in visits to dentists
“Dental practices have observed a drop in patient consultations since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, whether for routine checks or emergencies”, in conclusion lament the doctors. “However, bleeding in the mouth, cracks or breakage of teeth and intense pain must lead to going to the emergency room, under penalty of developing significant complications”, they recall.
.
