A 20-year-old student who was refused a general anaesthetic for dental treatment died after accidentally overdosing on paracetamol to cope with extreme toothache.

Hayden Fitzpatrick had taken the over-the-counter painkiller to deal with acute pain from cavities, an inquest has heard.

Hayden - whose sex was not given at the inquest and who was referred to as they/them throughout the hearing - was discovered unresponsive in their bedroom on Neville Street, off Unthank Road, in Norwich.

A housemate made the discovery after Hayden's boyfriend raised the alarm because he had not heard from them all day, after they had just spent the weekend together.

Paramedics were called but Hayden was pronounced dead at the scene.

The inquest was told that Hayden had a “severe, long-term phobia of the dentist” after previous sedation during dental work did not fully work and “increased their fear tenfold”. 

Hayden also experienced sensory issues relating to things that foamed, including toothpaste. 

A statement from Hayden's family, provided to the assistant coroner, Christopher Leach, said: “Hayden had been experiencing dental pain for some time due to cavities in their teeth.

“Their choice of pain relief was paracetamol, which they took on a regular basis sometimes exceeding the recommended does for a 24-hour period if they were experiencing extreme symptoms.” 

The hearing, at County Hall, also heard evidence from correspondence between Hayden’s dentist and Tees Community Dental Service in their hometown of Middlesbrough.

Hayden had completed a questionnaire stating they experienced "extreme anxiety” in almost all aspects of treatment, but their request for a comprehensive dental service under general anaesthetic for anxious adults was refused.

The inquest was also told that Hayden's low body weight was a factor.

In the weeks before their death, Hayden had shared concerns with a friend about having “low body weight” – but family and friends said they had not noticed any weight loss.

The family statement added that they believed Hayden may have suffered a “dramatic weight loss” during the last five days of their life.

Hayden had a BMI of 11 at the time of their death.

The medical cause of death was “paracetamol poisoning” due to low body weight, and Mr Leach recorded a conclusion of a “drug-related death”.

An official from the coroner's office said Hayden's sex was not given because it was not considered relevant to the outcome of the inquest. However, a person's sex does appear on their death certificate.