A man identified as Pawel Bukowski committed su!cide in April last year after experiencing a severe mental health crisis linked to a failed dental procedure abroad, an inquest has heard.
The 48-year-old father-of-three had travelled to Turkey for treatment after years of living with periodontal disease, expecting to have his teeth removed and replaced with implants. However, after the extraction, he was sent back to the UK without dentures and told he would have to wait six months before the next stage of treatment.
His wife, Daria Bukowska, told the hearing the experience had a devastating impact on him. She said: “Unfortunately, after removing all of his teeth, the clinic told him they could not proceed further. They sent him home without any teeth and told him to return in six months. This was emotionally devastating for him.”
She added: “He was deeply broken emotionally, losing his teeth had destroyed his self-confidence and sense of hope. Despite our constant support, from me and his daughters, he was slipping away from us.”
The inquest heard that his condition deteriorated rapidly, with his mental health worsening and his ability to eat affected. His wife said: “He lost all hope that things could improve. Despite all our efforts to support him, we were ultimately unable to save him.”
Medical professionals later assessed him as “hopeless with a strong suicidal ideation” and identified several risk indicators, but he was not admitted for inpatient care at the time.
Mrs Bukowska criticised the support provided, telling the court: “He was never given anything to help with the withdrawal symptoms. He was not given the medication he needed to keep him going for a few days. Workers did not show up, did not call us back, and finally were late.”
She added: “The accumulation of these things, the lack of communication, ultimately lead to where we are today… Pawel was failed at crucial points. I hope that this is never repeated.”
Area coroner Johanna Thompson recorded a conclusion of suicide, stating: “There is evidence of Pawel’s intent to end his life in the messages and notes he left.”
She added that the failed dental treatment had a profound effect on his wellbeing, saying he “developed worsening mental health after undergoing the poor dental treatment abroad” and began consuming excess alcohol, which further impacted his condition.
An investigation by Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust identified lessons to be learned, with the coroner noting that the decision not to admit him when he presented with serious mental health concerns “may have been a missed opportunity” for more intensive care.
Paying tribute, his wife said: “Pawel was my beloved husband… a good man, a loving husband and a devoted father. We miss him terribly and I deeply regret that we couldn’t help him in time.”