A man has such a severe phobia of dentists he’s allowed several of his teeth to ‘crumble away’.
Lajos Csendes, a Hungarian florist who lives in Hackney, London has lost all his molars apart from his wisdom teeth, and some of his facial bones have also deteriorated.
He suffers with weak teeth, which is partly down to genetics, but the issue has been made much worse by failing to visit a dentist regularly.
His phobia was so bad between the age of 11 and 18, he didn’t see a dentist once during that period.
Last year, a severe tooth infection entered Lajos’s bloodstream and spread to his heart, causing symptoms that made him think he was having a heart attack.
The scare prompted the 31-year-old to visit specialist clinic in Hungary that deals specifically with patients with a dental phobia.
There, he learnt he needs a £20,000 to £25,000 procedure to restore both his teeth and facial bones.
He hopes the transformation will give him the confidence to smile again and is currently trying to raise the cash to pay for it on GoFundMe.
Lajos said dentists, including those working for the NHS, often don’t take his phobia seriously, which makes it harder for him to tackle the issue.
‘I was frustrated with the dentists…,’ he explained. ‘I’m not the only one who feels this fear about dentists… they thought I was joking when I said I have this fear.
‘It makes me have nightmares… I hope people realise it really affects me and is a serious issue.
‘I’ve been ashamed of who I am – over the years I have stood up to the mirror and tried to learn to smile in a way that you cannot really see my teeth.
‘Finding a good relationship was always a struggle for me… I know people are judging… and some are afraid to interact with me.”
Lajos said his fear started as a young child and since the age of 15 his teeth have been decaying and ‘literally crumbling away’.
He explained: ‘So when I was younger, basically I could break down my teeth with my fingers or with my nails, or even if I just had a bite of bread or an apple.
‘Now I have my wisdom teeth in the back, and my front teeth, but basically nothing in between.’
As well as being too embarrassed to show his teeth when smiling, Lajos also struggles to eat anything ‘crunchy or chewy’.
He said he would make appointments with dentists but when he arrived often couldn’t bring himself to step through the door.
‘I struggle with the smell, the noises, the clean white building,’ he added. .
‘It all just triggers me… I feel sick, I shake and it’s just so scary for me.’
He said he looks after his teeth and no one has been able to explain exactly why they are so weak.
But dentists have told him regular check-ups and treatment could have stopped them from crumbling away altogether.
Lajos said the specialist clinic in Hungary was much easier to visit as it ‘didn’t even look like dentist’.
He added: ‘The dentist explained everything to me…I felt so relaxed.’
An X-ray revealed that the bones in his face have also begun to deteriorate, and he was told the process of restoring his teeth and facial structure would take around two-and-a-half years.
‘They plan to take my teeth roots out and then open up the part of my face, above my mouth, and screw in metal bolts into my upper and lower jaw to bring my jaw line forward,’ Lajos explained.
‘They’d then put ceramic teeth in.’
He initially considered undergoing surgery through the NHS but found the idea of visiting a traditional dentist too overwhelming.
Many people have asked why he isn’t having the work done in Turkey but he insists he is not interested’ in perfect white teeth – he just wants a ‘functional mouth’.
Lajos believes that once the treatment is complete, his life will be ‘transformed’.
He said: ‘I think the procedure will improve my confidence.
‘I’ll be able to feel normal again and not have to worry about my smile.’
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