(WHDH) — A man who went to great lengths to free a piece of popcorn that was stuck between his teeth reportedly developed a serious infection that left him near death and forced him to undergo open-heart surgery.
Adam Martin, a 41-year-old firefighter and father of three from England, spent three days in September trying to remove a piece of popcorn that got lodged in a back tooth while he was snacking and watching a movie with his wife, according to Fox News.
Martin resorted to using a pen cap, a toothpick, a piece of wire, and a metal nail during repeated attempts to free the stubborn kernel, but he ultimately ended up damaging gums, the news outlet reported.
Days later, Martin said he started suffering from flu-like symptoms, including night sweats and headaches. He soon learned that he was plagued by endocarditis. Endocarditis is an infection of the endocardium, which is the inner lining of the heart chambers and heart valves, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Endocarditis occurs when germs enter the bloodstream, travel to the heart, and attach to abnormal heart valves or damaged heart tissue.
Martin was initially diagnosed with a mild heart murmur and sent home by a doctor but his symptoms never subsided.
“I had a feeling there was something seriously wrong,” Martin told the news outlet. “I was sleeping an awful lot and I felt terrible.”
When Martin was admitted to Royal Cornwall Hospital for testing, results showed heart damage caused by the infection. He later underwent a seven-hour surgery to repair two valves, which were “eaten away,” Martin claimed.
Martin called the ordeal the “worst experience” of his life and said he “wasn’t far off death’s door.”
A simple trip to the dentist would have prevented everything, Martin added.
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