KOCO
HARRAH, Okla. -- Former Harrah football player Jonathan Adams died Monday, Oct. 10, 2011 after he developed a rare infection following a root canal, his family told Eyewitness News 5.
When Adams, 18, first developed a sore throat and fever, doctors thought the Northeastern State football player had strep throat. However, his family now believes he had a serious and rare bacterial infection that led to further complications and his eventual death.
“The main reason we wanted to (speak to the media) is so nobody else has to do this because if I can keep another parent from going through losing their child at 18, I did my job," said Johnie Adams, Jonathan's mother.
Adams was a 280-pound redshirt freshman on the Northeastern State University football team. His father, David Adams, said he hoped to have a future in football after he graduated from college.
Adams became sick several weeks after undergoing a root canal.
He developed a rare bacterial infection called Ludwig's Angina which causes swelling of the mouth, tongue and throat. It can close off the patient’s airway and become deadly.
Adams was later put on a respirator and had a feeding tube, his family said. He appeared to be recovering, but he then contracted an additional infection due to a perforated bowel.
Adams' father said, “You need to ask questions when you got to the dentist. You need to make sure if they give you antibiotics that you are taking it, whether its before or after.”
Adams graduated from Harrah High School where his sister is a junior on the cheerleading squad. She hoped to attend Northeastern State University and cheer for her older brother.
A fund has been set up at Arvest Bank to help pay for his funeral expenses.
[Of course this might not be related to the root canal at all. I'm curious as to who did this dental treatment? Was it a "dental mill" or some other less then sanitary dental center, this would be good to know.]
