The 49-year-old hadn’t been to the dentist since before the COVID pandemic because she had a phobia and was so “ashamed” of her teeth.
He actually hid them behind a set of veneers to make them ‘look like Hollywood teeth’ but really the teeth were ‘rotting’ underneath.
However, by May 5 the pain had become “excruciating”, so she called 111 and was referred to Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe.
Vicky, who works as an administrator, said she was in so much pain she struggled to even open her mouth to be examined and was given a two-week course of antibiotics to fight the infection.
The next morning, she awoke to find her mouth and tongue had swollen so badly she couldn’t breathe and was rushed to Lancaster Royal Infirmary by ambulance.
Here doctors performed three operations to remove several teeth and drain her infection.
During the third operation, the mum-of-three was put into a five-day coma to help her fight the infection.
Doctors had to remove her lower wisdom teeth and most of her upper teeth, but luckily after nearly a month in hospital, Vicky was discharged.
Now she’s speaking out in the hope she can raise awareness of what happened and encourage others to get their symptoms under control.
Vicki, from Morecambe, Lancashire, said: “My teeth started to hurt but I have a huge fear of the dentist so I never got it checked out.
“I ate too much [dental] The work I did as a kid and then my teeth got so bad I was too embarrassed to go to the dentist to be honest with you.
“It was more my anxiety than a bad experience or anything. I was afraid.
“I was taking ibuprofen and paracetamol and using clove oil to try and numb it.
“The pain was unbearable. I would put him on the same level as childbirth, he was pretty bad.
“It was very scary [in hospital]. I had a panic attack. I thought this was the end of days for me.
“It really seems insignificant now when I look back on my fear of the dentist after what I had to endure. I feel really stupid.
“It could have killed me and it’s no big deal sitting in a dentist chair, they make sure you don’t feel pain and stuff.
“I don’t know what I was thinking, but with stress you don’t think straight.”
While in the hospital doctors diagnosed Vicki with Ludwig’s angina, a rare but potentially fatal bacterial infection.
Symptoms include pain, sore throat, swelling, difficulty breathing and fever.
Over the last few years Vicky’s dental health deteriorated as she struggled with her mental health and was unable to take care of her teeth.
This made her insecure about her smile and about a year ago she bought a £500 set of temporary veneers online to boost her confidence.
However, Vicky admits to neglecting the health of her real teeth underneath.
The Dental Education Center offered Vicki treatment starting in December, where students will work to clean her remaining teeth and fit her in some dentures.
He has also been put on the NHS dentist waiting list
Vicky said, “Them [the veneers] they look amazing, they look like Hollywood teeth.
“I think with my gums being so tender, I was afraid to actually take them out and the dental care underneath obviously deteriorated quite quickly.
“I think with my lack of care I was too shy to smile at people and I’m a very smiley person.
“That’s why I got the veneers, to cover the problem underneath.
“I should have gone to the dentist instead of looking for a quick fix.
“They basically covered the problem of teeth that were rotting back.
“I used to suffer from a lot of agoraphobia leaving the house because I was so self-conscious, but I had therapy last year and it helped a lot.
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“I have a pair on each side in the top row. My two front teeth are just stumps. They are very brown and ugly.
“I felt more confident in my smile. Even just answering the door to the mailman, I feel ashamed right now if I’m not wearing those veneers. I feel ashamed of myself.
“Never ignore a toothache and as horrible as going to the dentist is, it’s minor compared to what I went through.
“I would hate for anyone else to go through this just because of the toothache and the stress of the dentist.”
