Those with a fear of dentists (Wiki estimates that's a whopping 75 per cent of us) may wish to look away now. A teen in India with a rare condition spent seven hours in the torture chair, having a total of—wait for it—232 teeth removed from his mouth.
According to an article in the BBC, 17-year-old Ashik Gavai had complained of pain and swelling in his jaw. Ashik's parents brought him to Mumbai, as local dentists failed to help. When he opened his mouth, doctors at JJ Hospital's dental department couldn't believe what they saw.
Ashik had "composite odontoma," an incredibly rare condition in which "a single gum forms lots of teeth."
Dr Sunanda Dhiware likened the dental growth to a benign tumour.
Ready for the horror? Dhiware and his surgical team "had to use the basic chisel and hammer to take it out," and inside the growth found hundreds of little pearl-like teeth."
The final count was 232.
Apparently, when Ashik complained of pain, his parents worried that it may have been cancer.
Following the surgery, he is down to 28 teeth.
Poor kid. Notice he's the only one not smiling in the pictures...
What are the odds that I will forget all about this story by the time my next routine cleaning rolls around?
Do you have a phobia related to dental work?
This little girl's rare condition may hold the secrets to immortality.
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