WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden He got a root canal on Monday and it left something of a hole in his daily schedule, forcing him to pull out of a public event with college athletes and postpone his meeting with the NATO Secretary General by one day.
White House press secretary Karen Jean-Pierre downplayed the measure in a news conference Monday afternoon. She called it “routine” and said Biden was feeling “fine”. She declined to reveal why Biden’s toothache led to a root canal.
“I am certainly by no means a dentist,” said Jean-Pierre. “As far as the president’s dental health is concerned, I can’t speak for that.”
More than 15 million root canals are completed each year, according to the American Association of Endodontists.
Biden’s personal physician, Kevin O’Connor, said in a memo released by the White House that Biden reported pain in his right lower laughter on Sunday. O’Connor said the president had an initial root canal that day, and he “tolerated the procedure very well” without any complications.
On Monday morning, Biden felt “more discomfort” in his mouth, which O’Connor said was to be expected. A specialized team of endodontists from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center completed a Biden root canal at the White House.
First Lady Jill Biden spoke at a political fundraiser in New York City Monday night He said it was a “tough night” for both of them on Sunday.
“He was up all night in pain,” she said. “Which of course means, guess what? I was up all night in pain — with a different kind of pain.”
The first lady also expressed her amazement that doctors were able to take care of the president without him leaving the White House. “Did you know there’s a dentist’s office downstairs in the White House?” Biden asked the donors. “I’ve never seen this before.”
At another point, she asked the crowd about their concerns and promised to take her back to her husband. Taking some comedic license, the first lady joked that the president was under sedation.
In fact, the White House said Biden was not put under anesthesia for the procedure, meaning there was no need to invoke the 25th Amendment and have Vice President Kamala Harris serve as acting president.
Biden was scheduled to appear at the college’s Athlete’s Day on the South Lawn at the White House, which welcomes NCAA champions from various men’s and women’s sports from the 2022-23 season. Harris attended Biden’s place.
The White House moved two more events that were on Biden’s schedule to Tuesday – a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. And a reception for the heads of missions at the White House.
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Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price in New York City preparing the report.
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