Vice President Kamala Harris will take over President Joe Biden’s schedule on Monday as the president undergoes a root canal after he experienced dental pain.
A letter from Kevin O’Connor, the physician to the president, said that Mr Biden had experienced dental pain in his lower right premolar.
“Our Presidential Dental Team from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was able to perform an examination, to include x-rays, in the White House Dental Operatory,” the letter said. As a result, the team decided a root canal was appropriate.
“He is experiencing further discomfort this morning, which was anticipated,” the letter said. “The endodontal specialty team from Walter Reed will complete the President's root canal today, at the White House.”
As a result, Ms Harris will assume the president’s schedule. She will host College Athlete Day with both the men and women’s 2022-2023 NCAA championship teams. She will be accompanied by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
It is unclear whether the president’s root canal is considered an emergency procedure, how long it will last or when it will take place.
This would not be the first time that the vice president has taken on the president’s itinerary for health reasons. In November 2021, Mr Biden temporarily transferred power to Ms Harris when he invoked the 25th amendment of the US Constitution as he underwent a prostate exam.
That made her the first woman to hold presidential power, though it was only for a little more than an hour.
But the president will not undergo anesthesia and the 25th amendment will not be invoked during the root canal.
Ms Harris has recently begun traveling across the country as Mr Biden announced his re-election campaign, dispelling questions about whether Mr Biden will replace her as his running mate on the White House ticket.
