I was left looking like Family Guy’s Peter Griffin with a giant chin when my toothache turned into deadly condition
A MAN was left “looking like Family Guy’s Peter Griffin” after a rotting wisdom tooth triggered killer sepsis – causing his infected chin to TRIPLE in size.
James Alexander Thomas was suffering with toothache for five days when he noticed his cheeks and chin begin to swell up.
The 40-year-old had been given antibiotics to relieve the pain from his lower left wisdom tooth – but was rushed to hospital days later when his symptoms continued to worsen.
There, the dad-of-one was told he had sepsis and says he was told he was hours away from death.
Shocking photos from March 2024 show James’ swollen, inflamed chin that left him looking like Peter Griffin from the American animated sitcom Family Guy.
James was hospitalised for 10 days after doctors surgically drained his chin of pus before the infection spread even further.
The content creator said he never expected his toothache to lead to such a life-threatening experience – and is now warning others to take their dental health seriously.
James, from Swansea, Wales, said: “It started off as just a bit of toothache, my cheek was just a bit swollen.
“I went to the dentist after about four or five days and they prescribed me with some antibiotics.
“I was waiting for the antibiotics to work. Over the next few days, my cheek and chin started swelling but I felt okay.
“I just thought my face was puffing out because of the tooth. At this point there was pus coming out at the back of my mouth and that gave me a bit of relief.”
But after James’ face grew more and more swollen, the dad rushed to Morriston Hospital in Swansea, Wales, where doctors rushed him into a three-hour surgery to drain the fluid in his chin and remove the wisdom tooth.
There, James was told he had sepsis and warned he was just a “day from death” due to his declining health.
James said: “When I got to the hospital, I stopped pressing my jaw and relieving all the pus so it started building up and up and my face looked like Peter Griffin from Family Guy.
“I thought they would pop it like a spot but then was told I was being put through as an emergency surgery.
“The scariest bit was if the operation didn’t go right I would’ve been left using a breathing tube for the rest of my life. That was when I started to panic.
“My whole neck was full of this gunk.
“This was all from one tooth. The doctors told me if I hadn’t been getting rid of the pus myself, I would’ve died a day earlier.
“They told me I was close to dying, I was quite fearful at the time, it all happened so quickly.
“It wasn’t until I left the hospital that it all really hit me.”
Luckily, James made a full recovery but is now warning others to always seek help with any health concerns.
James said: “I’ve still got the tooth. My partner won’t let it in the house – it’s in the shed. She thinks it’s bad luck.
“You just never expect something like this to happen from a tooth.
“It’s typical of us men to think it’ll be okay and that we don’t need to go to the doctor or the dentist. Me and all men need to be better at seeking help.
“[My advice is to] go to the dentist but get to A&E if things keep getting worse.”
What are the symptoms of sepsis?
SEPSIS is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that happens when your immune system overreacts and starts to damage your body's own tissues and organs.
Symptoms of sepsis in an adult include:
- Acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense
- Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- Difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast
Symptoms in a child include:
- Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- Difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast
- A weak, high-pitched cry that’s not like their normal cry
- Not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities
- Being sleepier than normal or having difficulty waking
They may not have all these symptoms.
If you think you or someone else has symptoms of sepsis, call 999 or go to A&E.
Source: NHS