A woman left with vampire like fangs has received an out of court settlement of more than £20,000 from a Bromyard dentist.

Wedding cake baker Charlotte Bateman was left with the deformity after years of gum disease caused her teeth to drift around her mouth, as her gums decayed.

The 49 year-old was diagnosed with severe periodontal disease, which had previously gone undiagnosed by her dentist for years.

She sought help from specialist dental negligence solicitors, the Dental Law Partnership, to gain compensation to pay for remedial treatment and her case was settled out of court for £25,000 against Dr Jean-Ann Smith of Smith, Holloman and Associates dental practice, in Bromyard.

Dr Jean-Ann Smith did not admit liability.

A spokeswoman for the surgery said due to patient confidentiality it would not comment.

Mrs Bateman, who is now undergoing treatment to stabilise her gums, said her fang like teeth affected her career and her confidence.

She said: "One day, I was flossing at home and a piece of debris got pushed up and lodged in my gum - gums are not meant to be soft like that.

"My neighbour, who hadn’t seen me in a while, visited shortly after an appointment and was visibly shocked at how my teeth looked.

"I was so embarrassed. I didn’t want to be seen in public after that. My confidence was knocked. I retreated into myself and avoided social situations as much as possible.

"All the problems with my teeth have had such a negative impact on my self-esteem.

" The wedding cake industry is very appearance-orientated, so looking your best is vital. I have lots of face to face contact with clients and struggle to project an air of confidence, the whole saga has also had a detrimental effect on my career. "

Daniel Kinnear, solicitor at Dental Law Partnership who pursued Mrs Bateman's case, said after an orthodontic appointment, it was clear her teeth were exhibiting bone loss.

She had suffered up to 90 percent bone loss in her jaw too, as a result of the decay.

He confirmed in the coming years she will lose teeth.

"Charlotte attended an orthodontic consultation in 2011, x-rays were taken which I was advised showed several of Charlotte’s upper and lower teeth exhibiting bone loss, and she was diagnosed with Gum disease.

"Charlotte is undergoing treatment to stabilise her gums, she will lose teeth in the future and the resulting gaps will need implants" he said.