A former NFL player who died earlier this year at a construction site was found to have died from bacterial sepsis that was transmitted via dental decay.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills wide receiver, Mike Williams, died on Sept. 12 after being hit in the head two weeks earlier while he was working on a job site in Florida amid conflicting reports about his cause of death. After the construction site accident, he was left partially paralyzed and on a ventilator.
On Thursday, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner Department released a report saying Mr. Williams’ death was caused by bacterial sepsis with “cerebral abscesses and necrotizing lobar pneumonia due to multiple dental caries and retained tooth roots.” It also listed arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease as a contributing factor to his death, according to multiple media reports.
The medical report does not reveal how much the construction site injury may have contributed to the former NFL player’s death. Earlier news reports indicated he was injured while working for an electrical company at a Target in Tampa.
“As a result of this accident, there was swelling on his brain and swelling on his spinal cord that was ruptured,” his father said. “These injuries resulted in complete paralysis in his right arm as well as his lower body from the waist down.”
Mr. Williams’s death at the time was mourned by his former team.
“We are saddened by the untimely death of Mike Williams, which has left our organization, his former teammates and fans with heavy hearts,” the Buccaneers said in a statement after his death. “We send our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones as they mourn this tragedy.”
Sepsis?
Considered a life-threatening emergency, sepsis is when the body exhibits an extreme reaction to an infection, according to health officials. The condition occurs when an infection a person already has triggers a large-scale reaction throughout the body, which can lead to organ failure, tissue damage, and death.“The pulp is the part of the tooth that contains blood vessels, connective tissue, and large nerves. When an infection occurs, bacteria can move out of the tooth to the bone or tissue below, forming a dental abscess. A dental infection can lead to sepsis,” according to the site.
“They’re basically saying he had cavities in his mouth, and he had teeth where the crown above the gums had broken off and all that was left is the roots that hold the teeth in place,” Dr. Kalra told the outlet. “Those roots were probably infected as well as the cavities may have gotten to a point where they were in his nerve of the tooth or the center and that also spreads down into our bloodstream and could have spread from there as well.”
The doctor noted that the medical examiner’s report saying that cardiovascular disease played a role in his death, there are “huge links between periodontal disease and heart disease and things like that, and so this is an indication or it shows you how well our bodies are connected.”
