Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert Loses Tooth During Press Conference

Texas Representative Louie Gohmert had an awkward moment during a Tuesday press conference near Capitol Hill when one of his teeth fell out while he was talking.

The Republican Congressman kept going with the tooth rolling around in his mouth like a forgotten piece of gum. Video of the press conference shows a gap in Gohmert's mouth where the tooth once was.

Of course, the video went viral, and social media was both horrified and fascinated by the contents of the Congressman's mouth.

Since teeth normally don't drop out of sockets, a lot of people were wondering if this had something to do with Gohmert's COVID-19 diagnosis. He tested positive for the coronavirus in July.

Gohmert told the Tyler Morning Telegraph in September that he was feeling fine and that he took hydroxychloroquine and zinc for respiratory illness. Neither have been approved by the Federal Drug Administration to treat COVID-19, and the National Institute of Health recommends against using either as treatments.

Some people who had COVID-19 reported loose teeth and other dental problems months after their diagnosis. There's not enough data to suggest if this is a consequence of COVID-19 or if the virus is making underlying dental issues worse, the New York Times reported.

Meanwhile, Gohmert tweeted that the fallen tooth was actually a temporary crown that came loose.

Photo: Getty Images