Parents and colleagues pay tribute to Hoylake man who died a day after taking antibiotics for toothache

Mar 3 2010 by Lorna Hughes, Heswall News

THE parents of a man who died a day after being prescribed antibiotics for toothache say they “couldn’t have wished for a better son”.

Shop assistant Mark Johnson, who had no history of allergies, collapsed at work and was taken to hospital but suffered a heart attack.

The 36-year-old, from Hoylake, visited his dentist on July 2 last year complaining of pain in his upper jaw and was given amoxicillin – a form of penicillin – to ease the symptoms.

Dr Waleed Askar, from the Arno Dental Surgery in Prenton, told an inquest at Wallasey Town Hall last week that Mr Johnson had been given the same antibiotic on “numerous occasions” with no ill-effects.

Coroner’s officer Donald Johnston said Mr Johnson’s parents found him sweating profusely in the staff canteen at Sainsbury’s in Prenton.

He said: “When he started to walk out of the canteen he appeared to stiffen up and clenched his teeth. He then turned blue and slid down the wall.”

“Paramedics found his airway was partially obstructed. He was given oxygen and adrenalin at Arrowe Park Hospital and was intubated but had a cardiac arrest.”

A post mortem found some underlying heart problems but the main cause of death was anaphylaxis, a type of allergic reaction – caused by an allergy to penicillin.

In a statement to the Coroner, Dr Askar said: “Following the discussion of treatment options, as the tooth was unrestorable, he said he preferred to have the root removed under intravenous sedation at Arrowe Park Hospital rather than with local anaesthetic, as he was a very nervous patient.

“He did not have any known allergies and he had received prescriptions for amoxicillin on numerous occasions.”

Mr Johnson had learning difficulties and started at his supermarket job collecting trollies before being promoted to work on the tills.

The keen Evertonian lived with his parents in Strand Road, Hoylake, but was saving up for a future with fiancee Kate.

The couple met three years ago at a weekly event in Birkenhead for people with learning disabilities.

Wirral coroner Christopher Johnson said: “Mr Johnson was fit and healthy with no history of allergies. Dr Askar prescribed a course of amoxicillin which he had received previously but sadly, on this occasion, he collapsed while he was in work.”

He recorded a verdict that his death was due to natural causes.

In a card to his parents after his death, managers and colleagues at the supermarket said Mr Johnson was a “fantastic colleague who had the ability to brighten the darkest, wettest days”.

Mum Doreen said: “He was just brilliant and everyone loved him. Mark didn’t just pass through – he made a difference to people’s lives.

“You couldn’t get in the church at his funeral – there must have been over 200 people there.”

Dad Bill said: “Mark was just a lovely lad. Every Friday he’d bring home a bunch of lilies for his mum and put out the bins for her and the neighbours.

“He was full of energy and nothing was too much trouble for him. He was never late to work and even if he wasn’t in Sainsbury’s he’d go and help out at the corner shop or at his sister’s pub.

“We couldn’t have wished for a better son.”