In brief: Toddler’s death sparks anesthesia scrutiny, new research on oral function links, a green shift in equipment
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In brief: Toddler’s death sparks anesthesia scrutiny, new research on oral function links, a green shift in equipment
Two-year-old Er’Mias Mitchell died on July 18th, 2025. The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners is currently investigating the circumstances that lead to his death. A new study from the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation uncovered a link between declining oral health and the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases. The study examined the health check-ups of 118 individuals aged 50 or above. Researchers looked at the participants’ dental examinations from 2021 in addition to their annual physical exams in 2021 and 2023. They underwent various oral function tests to gauge their oral health. Participants whose results were outside the normal range performed poorly on the majority of these tests.
Police in Greensboro, NC, were dispatched after the unexpected death of two-year-old Er’Mias Mitchell on July 18th, 2025. According to Er’Mias’s grandmother, the toddler’s lung collapsed after an oral surgery appointment involving anesthesia at the Valleygate Dental Surgery Center. She told WXII News that she and the rest of the Mitchell family are “incredibly upset” by how the surgery center handled the tragedy.1
The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners is currently investigating Er’Mias’s case and the circumstances that lead to his death. In the meantime, CEO and legal counsel Bobby White expressed his condolences, noting that “…it appears that Valleygate Dental Surgery Center is an independently accredited surgery center utilizing the services of both medical and dental professionals and is not licensed, certified, or accredited by the NC Dental Board. Early indications are that the Dental Board’s investigation will focus on whether this death occurred as a result of sedation administered by a medical provider (over which the Dental Board has no jurisdiction) or was the result of improper dental treatment which, of course, is within our jurisdiction.”1
Surprising link between poor oral health and lifestyle diseases
A new study from the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation uncovered a link between declining oral health and the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases. Led by Mitsuyoshi Yoshida, professor and chairman of the Department of Dentistry and Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery at Fujita Health University, researchers from Japan investigated the connection between oral function and blood test results in older adults.2
Yoshida’s team found that adults with abnormal blood test results demonstrated low oral function, concluding that poor oral health may increase the risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases.2
The study examined the health check-ups of 118 individuals aged 50 or above. Researchers looked at the participants’ dental examinations from 2021 in addition to their annual physical exams in 2021 and 2023. They underwent various oral function tests to gauge their oral health (oral dryness, the number of remaining functional teeth, maximum tongue pressure, masticatory function, etc.) then were divided into two groups based on their blood test results. Participants whose results were outside the normal range performed poorly on the majority of these tests.2
“Our main aim was to investigate the link between oral health and blood test results for glucose metabolism, lipid levels, and kidney function,” said Yoshida. “Overall, our results suggest that a decline in oral function can be a risk factor for lifestyle-related diseases. Thus, maintaining good oral health is the first step in maintaining overall health.”
If you would like to learn more about study, you can do so in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation.