Biden ‘Doing Just Fine’ After Unexpected Dental Surgery, White House Says

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden head toward the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images

The White House said that President Joe Biden is “doing just fine” after undergoing a two-day root canal procedure that upended his schedule on June 12.

“I can confirm that the procedure has been successfully completed,” Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, told reporters at a press briefing. “The president is doing just fine, and he’ll be certainly working in the residence this afternoon.”

According to a memo from his personal physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden first complained of pain in his lower right premolar on June 11. After an exam and X-rays were completed, an initial root canal surgery was performed that night at the White House by an endodontic specialty team from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Although there were no complications and Biden “tolerated the procedure well,” he complained of additional pain on the morning of June 12, which O’Connor said was anticipated.

At the press briefing on June 12, Jean-Pierre stressed that the procedure was “routine” and nothing to be concerned about.

“He was not put under general anesthesia, the 25th Amendment certainly was not invoked, and he received local anesthesia for the procedure,” she said.

‘Eats Like a Child’

Biden’s diet has reportedly been a matter of concern for first lady Jill Biden and White House staffers as he gears up for another contentious election season.

According to an Axios report published May 8, White House aides have been known to complain that the president “eats like a child.”

In addition to his well-known love of ice cream, Biden also has a reported affinity for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pizza, cookies, spaghetti, BLTs, and orange Gatorade.

His youthful palate notwithstanding, the first lady has reportedly been on a mission to add more healthy foods, like fish and vegetables, to the president’s diet.

But when asked by reporters on June 12 as to the cause of Biden’s tooth pain, Jean-Pierre declined to speculate on his dental health, noting that she is “certainly not a dentist by any means.”

Schedule Shift

As a result of the unplanned surgery, the White House was forced to make last-minute changes to the president’s scheduled appearances for June 12.

On the South Lawn of the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris stepped in to greet the 2022-2023 NCAA champions from various men’s and women’s sports at College Athlete Day.

Other events were rescheduled for June 13, including a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and a reception for chiefs of mission at the White House.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.