A woman said she is “lucky to be alive” after she accidentally swallowed a 20cm toothbrush while on a family holiday to Croatia to visit her in-laws.
Amber Hunt, 38, was on holiday with her husband, Amir Dervic, 41, and their two children – aged one and eight – when the scary incident happened. On July 27, 2024, Amber started getting ready for bed and began brushing her teeth. The mum-of-two was brushing the back of her mouth when the 20cm toothbrush slipped out of her fingers and down her throat.
Panicked Amber tried to grab the toothbrush but was unsuccessful so her husband drove her to County Hospital Cakovec, Cakovec, Croatia, where she had an ultrasound on her stomach. Amber claims medics initially “didn’t believe” she had a toothbrush in her stomach – so she went home for the night and came back the next day where they performed an upper endoscopy.
A doctor was unable to get the toothbrush out so Amber was taken to KBC Split Hospital in Split, Croatia, for a 45-minute procedure to have it removed. Medics put a string around a camera inserted down her throat and used it to get a hold of the toothbrush and pull it up out of Amber’s throat – all whilst Amber was awake.
Amber, a stay-at-home mum, from Youngstown, Ohio, US, said: “I am happy to be alive, I am worried to use a toothbrush again. I have to be very careful, I do it slowly and make sure my hands are dry so it doesn’t slip out. It was so scary, it shocked my family. It hasn’t ruined my vacation but it would have if something seriously bad happened.”
Amber headed out to Croatia on June 24, with her husband and two children. A month into her trip, Amber was getting ready for bed and brushing the back of her mouth.
She said her hands were wet and the toothbrush slipped out of her hands and down her throat, adding: “Luckily I didn’t choke and it went down to my stomach.
“The feeling when I swallowed it was ‘oh my gosh, I am going to die’. I kept swallowing, I knew I could still breathe – I kept trying to grab it but couldn’t. I have muscle spasms, I have my throat stretched every few months so I think that is why it didn’t get stuck.”
Amber was rushed to County Hospital Cakovec, Cakovec, Croatia, – by Amir. Amber said: “They performed an upper endoscopy and they found the toothbrush in my stomach and transferred me to another hospital.” Amber was blue-lighted to KBC Split Hospital where medics performed another upper endoscopy and “scooped” the toothbrush out.
Summing up the terrifying experience Amber said: “I was so happy to be alive, when I swallowed the toothbrush I thought I was going to die. Now I am wary of using a toothbrush – I hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
