Jonathan Ross Details Painful Dental Emergency During Japan Trip
Television presenter Jonathan Ross has candidly shared details of a distressing medical emergency that occurred during a recent trip to Japan, where severe facial swelling left him in agony. The 65-year-old broadcaster recounted the ordeal on the By The Way with Harriet Rose podcast, describing how a dental issue escalated dramatically during his flight.
Childhood Surgery Leaves Lasting Scar
During the podcast interview, Ross first addressed a visible scar on his forehead, which he explained resulted from surgery as a teenager. "I did have an operation on my forehead when I was a kid," he revealed, pointing out that the procedure has left him with limited movement in that area. "When I wrinkle my forehead only half goes up, because the other half hasn't got any meat in it." The growth removal was performed on the NHS when Ross was just 17 years old.
Dental Crisis in Tokyo
The conversation then turned to Ross's more recent health scare in Japan, which began with what seemed like a routine dental problem. "I had a bad tooth when I was out there then the dentist said, 'You'll be fine until you get back'," Ross recalled. However, the situation deteriorated rapidly during his flight to Tokyo.
"The pressure in the plane made it worse when I landed in Japan," he explained. "My face had swollen up this much on one side, literally, so much so I couldn't use my face recognition on my phone." The swelling was so pronounced that his smartphone's facial recognition system failed to identify him.
Emergency Dental Treatment in Foreign City
Faced with this unexpected crisis in a foreign country, Ross had to urgently locate an English-speaking emergency dentist in Tokyo. "Imagine how awful that was? That trip I remember thinking I'm going to fly home, I was in agony," he recounted of the painful experience. Fortunately, he managed to find competent dental care and received what he described as "amazing painkillers" that allowed him to salvage his journey.
Family Health Battles
Ross is not alone in facing significant health challenges within his family. His daughter Betty, 34, has been open about living with multiple chronic conditions:
- Fibromyalgia: A disorder causing widespread bodily pain
- Chronic fatigue syndrome: Characterized by extreme tiredness
- Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS): Triggers irregular heart rate spikes when sitting or standing
In a 2023 Instagram post, Betty discussed how using a wheelchair has transformed her life despite these challenges. "I've been able to go out, make memories, and have adventures, even on some of my worse health days," she shared, describing wheelchair use as "liberating" and having a "positive impact" on her daily existence.
The podcast conversation provided rare insight into both the broadcaster's personal health struggles and his family's resilience in facing medical challenges, from childhood surgeries to emergency dental crises abroad and chronic condition management.
