MAN DIES AFTER EXTRACTING TOOTH

MAPHUNGWANE – The family of a 31-year-old man of Maphungwane who died unexpectedly after having had a tooth extracted, is demanding answers from the dentist who surgically removed the tooth.

Philangenkosi Matsenjwa died on Good Friday (April 3) while undergoing treatment at a hospital, where he had been admitted following complications which are said to have started shortly after his tooth had been extracted.His family has told this publication that he had not shown any signs of physical illness, except for a decayed tooth, when he visited a dentist at the newly-opened Lubombo Referral hospital on March 9 this year.

“When he returned home on the same day, complications began on the wound that had been created following the removal of the tooth. He started feeling a lot of pain and we advised him to return to the dentist,” said the deceased’s aunt, who preferred to be referred to as Make Nkhambule.
According to Nkhambule, the deceased returned to the same hospital on March 13 but, Nkhambule alleged, dentists at the hospital did not attend to him but instead informed him that the excruciating pain he was feeling was normal to patients who had just had their tooth extracted.

Nkhambule said the deceased returned home still feeling the same excruciating pain.  Days later, Nkhambule said the deceased’s condition aggravated as swelling began on the left side of his face and on the gums.
By this time, Nkhambule revealed that the deceased could neither drink nor eat properly. She said this condition compelled the family to rush the deceased to hospital, but this time not to the Lubombo Referral hospital but to Good Shepherd hospital.

She said the deceased was admitted for a number of days before he succumbed to death, much to the devastation of the family and his friends.
She said it was inconceivable how a person could die after having had a tooth extracted hence the family was demanding answers from the dentists who attended to their deceased son.
However, administrators at the Lubombo Referral hospital defended the institution, saying it provides high quality medical services to the public.

Senior Medical Officer at the hospital Doctor Shily Kundhunda said he could not comment properly on the matter because he did not know what exactly transpired on the day the deceased is reported to have visited the hospital. He asked to issue an official comment after having gone through hospital records. However, he said an officer responsible for keeping hospital records was currently on leave and would return after two weeks.

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