Amid news that Kanye West has had permanent titanium dentures bolted into his mouth, a source close to the rapper tells Page Six that he’s been notoriously “weird” about his teeth for some time.
In fact, they say that on one occasion the “Life of Pablo” star had his favorite dentist give pointers on how to work on his chompers.
“He brought one dentist to another dentist office to show him how to work on his teeth,” marveled a longtime acquaintance of the troubled musician-turned-fashion-designer. The insider says that the famously particular star generally has up to a dozen dentists in his rotation at any given moment, and has had many, many grills installed, made over and removed over the years.
Another insider speculated that his obsession with his teeth may have begun with his famous car accident in 2002 which left his jaw shattered. (He famously recorded his first hit, “Through The Wire” with his jaw still wired shut.
The “Heartless” hitmaker’s $850,000 implants — known as “fixed prosthodontics” — are a type of “experimental dentistry” that was designed entirely by the rapper.
“They are, as the name suggests, fixed and permanent,” a source exclusively told Page Six Thursday. “This goes way beyond veneers or grills. And his particular implant is quite unlike anything that has been done before.”
Our insider explained West worked alongside the self-proclaimed “Father of Diamond Dentistry,” Dr. Thomas Connelly, to “manufacture” and “fit” the dentures, which also included palladium and platinum materials.
“All that said … his teeth weren’t removed,” the source added. West debuted the metallic mandibles Wednesday when he posted picture of Instagram to show off his metal implants, comparing himself to the James Bond villain Jaws — who had similar metal teeth.
An Upper West Side pediatrician disciplined in 2007 in an unprecedented case of faking vaccine records has been hit with another state probe for allegedly doing it again, The Post has learned.
A parent said he reported Dr. Mark Nesselson to the state Office for Professional Medical Conduct after seeing a falsified vaccination for his child allegedly prepared by the doctor.
The father said his daughter had not been seen by the pediatrician on the day recorded for one of the vaccines in 2021, which was on an official form provided by Nesselson.
The doctor also gave the family a form for insurance reimbursement that indicated an office visit had taken place that day for the shot when it had not, the dad said.
The purported phony record included MMR, polio vaccine and other standard shots for toddlers. It was allegedly created by Nesselson for the child’s mother, presumably to be used for school admissions, according to a copy of the parent’s complaint to the state.
Proof of vaccination is mandated for day care or attending school in New York.
The father said his family doled out about $4,300 to Nesselson over two and a half years, although some of that did cover legitimate office visits with the pediatrician.
The OPMC acknowledged the parent’s complaint in March 2022, according to a copy of a letter seen by The Post. The dad said he was later interviewed by investigators.
“It’s important that doctors act like doctors,” the furious dad said.
In 2007, a state disciplinary board placed Nesselson on probation for three years after he admitted to faking vaccination forms. He was fined $10,000 and allowed to treat patients under a monitor.
The state investigated him again in 2011, looking at whether he was complying with the terms of the previous order, records show. At that time, he signed an agreement saying he would adhere to the probation for 36 months, records show.
Nesselson did not return a request for comment. The state Department of Health said it could not comment on investigations.
DOH “takes instances of potential medical misconduct seriously and acts appropriately to protect the health and safety of patients,” a spokesman said.
Children’s hospitals in parts of the US are seeing a surge in a common respiratory illness that can cause severe breathing problems for babies.
RSV cases fell dramatically two years ago as the pandemic shut down schools, day cares and businesses. With restrictions easing in the summer of 2021, doctors saw an alarming increase in what is normally a fall and winter virus.
Now, it’s back again. And doctors are bracing for the possibility that RSV, flu and COVID-19 could combine to stress hospitals.
“I’m calling it an emergency,” said Dr. Juan Salazar of Connecticut Children’s Hospital, where RSV has caused a shuffling of patients into playrooms and other spaces not normally used for beds. The institution explored using a National Guard field hospital, but has set aside that option for now.
A look at RSV and what the recent surge may mean:
What is RSV?
It stands for respiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of mild cold-like symptoms such as runny nose, cough and fever. Nearly all US children normally catch an RSV infection by age 2.
People infected are usually contagious for three to eight days. Babies and people with weakened immune systems can spread RSV for up to four weeks. There is no vaccine for it, though several candidates are in testing.
Who does it affect?
Everyone can get RSV. But it causes the most threat to infants, older adults and other vulnerable people, who can get serious airway and lung infections.
Among US kids under age 5, RSV typically leads to 58,000 hospitalizations and up to 500 deaths in a year.
For adults 65 and older, RSV causes 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths yearly.
For babies, the struggle to breathe can interfere with eating. “And that’s really when we start to worry,” said Dr. Melanie Kitagawa of Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, where more than 40 children have RSV.
“They’re breathing fast, breathing deep. We see them using muscles in their chest to help them breathe,” Kitagawa said. “These are kids who are having difficulty taking a bottle because their breathing is being impacted and they can’t coordinate both at once.”
Why is there an increase now?
The virus is encountering a highly vulnerable population of babies and children who were sheltered from common bugs during the pandemic lockdowns.
Immune systems might not be as prepared to fight the virus after more than two years of masking, which offered protection, according to Dr. Elizabeth Mack of Medical University of South Carolina.
“South Carolina is drowning in RSV,” Mack said in a news release. The surge arrived earlier this year than normal, she said.
For babies, their mothers may not have been infected with RSV during pregnancy, which could have given the children some immunity.
US health officials have noted a rise this month in national reports of respiratory illnesses, which they say is at least partly due to the early spread of flu in much of the South.
Last week, more than 7,000 tests came back positive for RSV, according to CDC figures. That’s more than in previous surges.
Is there a treatment?
There’s no specific treatment, so it’s a matter of managing symptoms and letting the virus run its course. Doctors may prescribe oral steroids or an inhaler to make breathing easier.
In serious cases, patients in the hospital may get oxygen, a breathing tube or a ventilator.
What do doctors recommend?
Prevent the spread of viruses by washing hands thoroughly and staying home when you’re sick.
During RSV season, an injection of an antibody-based medicine is sometimes prescribed to protect premature infants and other very vulnerable babies.
If you’re worried your child is having a severe breathing problem, “do not hesitate” to go to an emergency department or call 911, said Dr. Russell Migita of Seattle Children’s Hospital, where RSV is on the rise.
For less severe medical problems, Migita said, call your regular health care provider for advice, use telehealth or go to urgent care.
In Chicago on Saturday, Dr. Juanita Mora saw a family of five kids all with RSV, ranging from a 3-year-old to a teenager. Fearing what’s ahead this winter, she’s telling everyone to get a flu shot and a COVID-19 booster.
“We don’t want a triple whammy, a triple pandemic,” Mora said.
Kathy Griffin turned to her social media followers on Monday to analyze her latest cancer scans after her doctors “ghosted” her.
“OK, I know this is crazy but I cannot get an oncologist on the phone and the surgeon who did my half of lung removal has ghosted me,” the comedian, 61, wrote on Instagram alongside screenshots of her medical notes, adding, “this is what it’s come to people!”
She continued, “I’m putting my scan results on Instagram in hopes that somebody will put it under an oncologist’s nose and send me some sort of interpretation in English of what’s going on with my post operation situation! Social media can be used for good, dammit!”
The former reality star was met with good news in her comment section as her followers in the medical field confirmed she was still cancer-free.
“That’s a pretty good looking report Kathy (as someone who worked in imaging),” one follower wrote.
“Focus on ‘without recurrence or metastasis’ It’s good news (from this old nurse lol),” another chimed in.
Other fans focused more on the negligence of Griffin’s doctors.
“Shockingly irresponsible. I’m so sorry Kathy,” one fan added before another called the whole situation “bulls–t.”
“I’ve got to tell you guys something. I have cancer. I’m about to go into surgery to have half of my left lung removed,” she wrote on social media at the time. “Yes, I have lung cancer even though I’ve never smoked! The doctors are very optimistic as it is stage one and contained to my left lung.”
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