Washington, D.C.-Jeff White, a highly-respected member of the Tenleytown community in Washington, D.C., has died in a manner that has baffled dental experts.
A month ago, Jeff consulted his dentist about grinding his teeth while sleeping, and he was advised to undergo stress management therapy, and to wear a mouthguard at night, to protect the health of his teeth and surrounding tissues.
Sleep bruxism is a condition in which you grind or clench your teeth at night while sleeping, and severe cases can result in damage to teeth, headaches, facial pain, and bone loss.
"When I saw Jeff, I deemed his case to be of moderate-to-extreme severity, because many of his teeth were loose, and a radiograph showed some bone loss between roots of his teeth, which is why I strongly encouraged Jeff to take action to prevent further bone loss," said Jeff's dentist.
Close family and friends say that Jeff refused to change his daily routine, and did not follow his dentist's orders to wear a mouthguard, or to try to reduce his level of stress.
We interviewed his neighbors to see if there were any troubling signs in the days leading to Jeff's tragic demise.
"About two weeks ago, I noticed that he seemed shorter and had a hunchback, but he said he was feeling fine," said Jeff's neighbor. "And then, last week, I caught a quick glance of Jeff going into his apartment in a wheelchair, and I swear that I didn't see any legs."
Yesterday, Jeff's cleaning lady discovered what remained of Jeff on his bed - just a couple of teeth.
"This patient outcome is beyond me, and must be associated with some other unknown disease. If not, it's surely the worst case of bruxism known to man," said Jeff's dentist. "Jawbone loss, yes, that's been documented, but total body loss is unheard of."
The world's best dental experts in the field have been called upon to review the case.
There is a wake service for Jeff's teeth at Cedar Hill Funeral Home on Pennsylvania Ave on November 3rd from 4pm to 10pm.
