The Before and After Case of Otto Warmbier’s Teeth

In international politics, few stories have captured the public’s attention, quite like the tragic tale of Otto Warmbier. The 22-year-old American student was arrested in North Korea in 2016 and returned to the United States in a vegetative state, passing away shortly after.

But amidst the tragedy, a bizarre and persistent rumour has taken root: that Warmbier‘s teeth were somehow altered or damaged during his time in North Korean custody.

The story goes that Warmbier‘s parents, Cindy Warmbier and Fred Warmbier, claimed in a 2017 interview that their son’s teeth had been “rearranged” with pliers while he was detained. However, a subsequent report from the Hamilton County coroner’s office in Ohio, where Warmbier‘s body was examined, found no evidence of broken bones or disfigured teeth.

So, what’s the truth behind this strange and unsettling rumour?

According to Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco, the Hamilton County coroner who examined Warmbier‘s body, there was no evidence of physical trauma or dental damage. “We don’t know what happened to him and that’s the bottom line,” she said in a press conference.

The coroner’s report, released in September 2017, described Warmbier‘s body as being in “excellent condition” for someone who had been bedridden for more than a year. The report also noted that Warmbier‘s brain injury, which ultimately led to his death, was caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain, not by physical trauma.

Despite the coroner’s findings, the rumour of Warmbier‘s rearranged teeth persists, fueled by social media and conspiracy theorists. Some have even pointed to a photo of Warmbier taken before his arrest, which shows him smiling with a full set of teeth, as proof that his teeth were altered during his time in North Korea.

But as with many things on the internet, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. The coroner’s report is clear: there was no evidence of dental damage or physical trauma to Warmbier’s body.

As for the photo of Warmbier smiling, it’s worth noting that dental work is a common and routine procedure. It’s entirely possible that Warmbier had some dental work done before his trip to North Korea, but there is no evidence to suggest that his teeth were rearranged or damaged during his time in custody.