Popcorn stuck in man's tooth leads to open-heart surgery (Source: SWNS) | Photo Credit: Twitter

Key Highlights Martin deeply regrets not going to the dentist in the first place His wife believes the problem could've easily been treated with antibiotics had it been caught sooner

The joy of munching on popcorn while watching a film or tv show is experienced by millions of people every day. But one from those million popcorn munchers recently ended up in a hospital.

You must be wondering how can popcorn send someone to the hospital unless a piece got lodged in his throat. You’d be surprised to know the particular piece of corn that brought the man to near-disaster had reached nowhere close to his throat.

Adam Martin, a 41-year-old British man, was happily munching on popcorn when a piece got stuck in his teeth. So, he decided to use various objects to dislodge it but was unsuccessful even after trying for three days. He used objects like a pen lid, a toothpick, a piece of wire and a metal nail to remove the piece, but nothing worked.

Believe it or not, the popcorn in his tooth affected his gums and developed into a life-threating infection that required open-heart surgery.

Martin said the piece of corn got stuck in a back tooth after he and his wife watched a move back in September. His multiple removal attempts damaged his surrounding gum that eventually led to an infection.

A week after the popcorn got stuck, Martin started suffering from night sweats, headaches, and fatigue. At that time, he thought they were nothing but signs of seasonal flu. However, he soon learnt his condition were signs of endocarditis, an infection of the endocardium.

The infection occurs when bacteria from the mouth, skin, and intestines enter the bloodstream.

A month later, he was diagnosed with a mild heart murmur but was sent home from the hospital.

“I had aches and pains in my legs and I just did not feel right at all. I was admitted to hospital the same day for tests. By this point, I was very worried,” Martin was quoted by Fox News.

A few days later, a scan revealed his heart was damaged due to the infection. His family immediately transferred him to another hospital, where he underwent open-heart surgery to repair his mitral valve.

The surgery was successful and Martin's condition soon returned to normal.

Martin deeply regrets not going to the dentist in the first place and his wife believes the problem could've easily been treated with antibiotics had it been caught sooner.