Jenny McCarthy has opened up about a frightening health issue that caused her teeth to start ‘falling out’ following repeated mouth infections.
Known for her time as a Playboy model and her subsequent rise to fame, which she credits to Hugh Hefner’s introduction to the entertainment industry, McCarthy has recently faced significant health challenges.
The 53-year-old shared that she was only able to resume eating around Thanksgiving, having previously been unable to consume solid foods due to her health problems.
In a candid interview with PEOPLE, McCarthy disclosed the extent of her struggles.
“I’ve had nine surgeries this year, on my mouth,” McCarthy revealed, explaining that it all began with one infection that ‘turned into another and another,’ eventually leading to growths on her eyeballs.
The ordeal began with a failed ceramic dental implant, causing her teeth and implants to ‘fall out’ and leading to surgery to ‘dig’ into her jawbone to remove infected areas. It was during this procedure that a ‘deep bone infection’ was discovered.
Despite the fact that dental implants have a 95 percent success rate according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, complications like infections, failed integration, or other factors such as tooth grinding or smoking can sometimes necessitate their removal or re-implantation.
The situation has significantly affected McCarthy, who revealed she has been on antibiotics for a year and had to consume only soft foods to avoid aggravating her mouth.
Her disclosure follows the release of her and her husband Donnie Wahlberg’s annual holiday card on November 25 via an Instagram collaboration. The photo showed the couple looking fit in swimwear, but McCarthy attributed her slim figure not to a new workout regimen, but to her inability to eat properly.
“I had two more mouth surgeries even after that photo was taken,” she confessed, describing herself as ‘unlucky.’
She continued, “As of now, I’m able to chew again, but every time we thought it had cleared up, it came back again. I’d be in massive pain with my jaw swelling up, and at the same time, I was getting these growths popping up on my eyeballs,” she recounted. “People should actually feel a little sorry for me!”
Fortunately, she now believes she’s in the clear and can finally enjoy more than just mashed potatoes and yams.