Rhys Mooney, a 24-year-old Liverpool man, was left in agony after suffering a severe toothache and compared his swollen face to “Quagmire” from the hit animated comedy “Family Guy.”
Mooney woke up with excruciating toothache and called NHS 111.
Doctors discovered a broken filling and an infection, leading to an abscess. He was sent home and given antibiotics, but his condition worsened as his face began to swell rapidly.
Mooney shared photos on TikTok, which have been viewed over 3.8 million times. “I thought sleeping would help the swelling go away, but when I woke up, my face had doubled in size,” he said. “I joked that my jaw was swollen like Quagmire.”
He was reduced to soup and described the frustration of waiting for the antibiotics to take effect. “On the second day, it got worse. On the fourth day, I had to wear a scarf to go out,” Mooney added.
After returning to the dentist and trying different antibiotics, the swelling finally began to subside. The abscess eventually ruptured, and the pain subsided. Mooney now needs root canal treatment on the affected tooth and worries about future complications.
“I’m registered with a dental clinic in Liverpool, but many clinics don’t accept NHS patients. If I don’t get treatment soon, I’m worried this might happen again,” he said.
Previously, 19-year-old Courtney Bailey had a similarly terrifying experience when she broke a tooth while playing with her dog, ultimately suffering life-threatening consequences. She likened her swelling to a quagmire.