Overview
- In a PEOPLE interview published Nov. 26, McCarthy said a ceramic dental implant failed, leading to recurring mouth infections.
- Doctors eventually dug into her jaw and found a deep bone infection as teeth and prior implants loosened and fell out.
- She reported nine oral surgeries this year, roughly a year on antibiotics, and months restricted to soft foods.
- Complications included repeated flare-ups with jaw swelling and what she called growths on her eyeballs, plus two surgeries after her holiday photo.
- She says she is able to chew again, feels “past the storm,” and plans a quiet Thanksgiving at home with husband Donnie Wahlberg.