Former NFL Player Died Due to Dental Infection

Mike Williams, a former football star at Syracuse University and a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, died after suffering a workplace injury in which a steel beam fell onto his head at a Hillsborough County, Florida construction site in September. The initial head injury was not fatal, and the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner released the results of his autopsy on December 21. Williams’ cause of death was bacterial sepsis with cerebral abscesses and necrotizing lobar pneumonia due to multiple dental caries and retained tooth roots. While rare, infections related to dental caries can be fatal, emphasizing the strong association between oral and systemic health. Williams was 36 and leaves behind an 8-year-old daughter. Click here to read more.