Home   Mildenhall   Article

Subscribe Now

Terry Parrott, of Red Lodge near Mildenhall, appears on TV show The Face Doctors after tooth infection turned into flesh-eating disease




A Red Lodge man whose tooth infection turned into a life-threatening flesh-eating disease has featured in a television programme.

Terry Parrott appeared on Really’s programme The Face Doctors, which follows patients undergoing life-changing surgery and treatment at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge.

Terry, 65, featured in the second episode of the series due to an infected eyeball, which meant doctors had to race against time to save his sight and his life.

Terry Parrott featured in Really’s programme The Face Doctors, which follows patients undergoing life-changing surgery and treatment at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge
Terry Parrott featured in Really’s programme The Face Doctors, which follows patients undergoing life-changing surgery and treatment at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge

The infection started out as toothache but turned into an aggressive flesh-eating disease called necrotising fascilitis, which can cause organ failure and has a high mortality rate.

Terry had surgery with Addenbrooke’s specialists, eye surgeon Cornelius Rene and facial surgeon Malcolm Cameron.

He said: “I had an abscess and I had antibiotics. I took all those and it went, but then it started coming back again. So I went to the dentist and he took it out, but it started to swell.

Terry Parrott’s infection started as toothache but turned into an aggressive flesh-eating disease called necrotising fascilitis
Terry Parrott’s infection started as toothache but turned into an aggressive flesh-eating disease called necrotising fascilitis

“I left it too long really and I waited until Monday to go back to the dentist.”

'All the people that saw me, all the team, even down into the operating theatre, there was a lot of people in there, they all did a fantastic job. I'm so grateful to them', said Terry.

He added: 'I think they saved my life. I'm pretty lucky to be back to normal basically.

“I don't think I realised how dangerous it was really as I could have lost an eye. Any further than that, and it would have gone to my brain. And that would have been curtains.

Terry Parrott with his granddaughters Sophia and Sienna
Terry Parrott with his granddaughters Sophia and Sienna

“It was a lot more serious than I thought, makes you realise I'm lucky. I am lucky to still be here really. All for a toothache.”

Within eight weeks of his surgery Terry fully recovered, with no scarring in sight.

The Face Doctors is broadcast at 9pm every Wednesday for eight weeks on Really, and is available to stream on discovery+.

Terry being filmed/interviewed at home with his wife Sharon when he was recovering after the incident
Terry being filmed/interviewed at home with his wife Sharon when he was recovering after the incident

Medical director Dr Ashley Shaw said: “As we progress through this series, it really does expose the huge variety of challenges faced by patients and the compassion and ingenuity of those trying to help them.

“We are extremely pleased to be involved in a documentary that not only highlights some of the incredible work that goes on here at Addenbrooke’s but also the tenacity, courage and sheer determination of our patients.”