Mount Gambier grandfather Kevin Stock’s trip to the dentist led to his terminal cancer diagnosis

For Mount Gambier man Kevin Stock, a trip to the dentist turned into much more after they noticed something out of the ordinary.

What was thought to be a toothache and a quick trip to the dentist turned into a “nightmare” for a Compton grandfather.

Within weeks his life changed forever.

Kevin Stock went to the dentist for a sore and wobbly tooth in September this year and had two teeth pulled.

“The dentist took two X-rays and noticed something not right,” the 49-year-old told The Advertiser.

His dentist referred him to a specialist who sent Mr Stock for scans.

“(On) Thursday October 3 the specialist told (me) there was a tumour in the left side of my face eating away at the jaw bone, also three spots on the lungs,” he said.

Mount Gambier grandfather Kevin Stock went to his dentist complaining of a toothache. The trip turned into him discovering he had stage four cancer. Picture: Supplied

Mr Stock underwent a 12-hour surgery. Picture: Supplied

The following day Mr Stock underwent a biopsy and on Thursday October 17 he was told the tumour was cancerous – stage four adenoid cystic carcinoma.

“Confirming the dreaded c-word — cancer — with a life expectancy between five and ten years, they said, was quite a shock and something I’d never imagined I’d hear,” Mr Stock said.

“(I) was devastated.

“Cancer stage four, already spreading to my lungs and eating through the bone structure of my top jaw, nose, eye socket and cheek bone.

“(I was) worried about what was to happen next, then having to go home (to) tell my wife and kids the devastating news was heart breaking.”

Doctors said his prognosis is between five and ten years. Picture: Supplied

Mr Stock will undergo radiotherapy for six weeks. Picture: Supplied

What followed for Mr Stock was constant appointments leading up to a 12-hour surgery on November 20 to place a breathing tube in his throat, as well as rebuild and remove parts of his face.

“I was in hospital for 18 days,” Mr Stock said.

Mr Stock said the surgery meant he lost feeling in the left side of his tongue and face.

“I will have to learn to talk, eat and swallow again,” he said.

“They also cut out of my left side lymph node for good measure … a portion of my shoulder blade to rebuild my jaw, cheek and eye socket … muscle from my shoulder and rib cage to rebuild the inside of my mouth.”

The 49-year-old said he anticipated looking “quite unrecognisable” and “quite confronting” following his surgery.

He is continuing to recover and will need to undergo radiotherapy for six weeks.

If you’d like to donate to Mr Stock, you can here.

Originally published as Mount Gambier grandfather Kevin Stock’s trip to the dentist led to his terminal cancer diagnosis