Is this shallow of me?

[Dollydust]

Long time lurker, first post.
I've been speaking to a really lovely man for about 5 months now and we met for a first date last Saturday, met on a dating website so have been really cautious to try and get to know him as best I can over texts and phone calls before meeting. We actually really hit it off and he makes me laugh everyday.
So.... we met for a date last Saturday and I could see that he has barely any teeth, the top front ones are gone apart from one black/grey stubbly one at the front and the bottom ones have some missing with the rest being broken yellow/black stubbly ones, I tried not to make it obvious I was a bit taken aback and I feel awful for saying this but it was so off putting. I've obviously seen quite a few pictures of them but he they have all been with his mouth closed!
It's been a few days since the date and he's really keen for another quite soon but I just don't know if I can get past this teeth issue, is this really shallow of me? I do feel absolutely awful as he's a really lovely person and after 5 months of regular phone calls and texts before meeting we had obviously grown quite fond of each other and had met with the potential of beginning a relationship.

I reckon this bloke has a real Phobia of the dentist and is probally shitting himself over it. I once had a girlfriend who was that phobic about spiders she almost fainted every time she saw one, she'd shake and quivver it was like somethug out of a horror film!

She consulted someone re this and part of her treament was visiting someone who kept them for pets after her treatment she managed to stroke a Trantululia!, s'cuse spulling

I bet he's just the same poor sod, OK he has shite poor teeth its not quite the same as alcohol additction is it?

I think its very kind of the OP to help him with this after all once married don't we promise to look after each other in sickness and health;?

I just want to add that I'm a dentist and alcohol addiction/very high consumption can definitely cause teeth like this especially if they are drinking things like cider and beer and combined with poor oral hygeine. So don't worry too much about meth if there's no other signs he's taken drugs. Of course drugs can be a cause but there are so many other causes that I wouldn't think drugs unless there were other indications.

Generally the majority of dental problems are caused by poor brushing/hygeine and sugar. Even if people have a phobia of the dentist if you take good care of your teeth then logically you shouldn't need much work. I've seen people who haven't been to the dentist for 20 yrs need no fillings. You might end up losing a couple of teeth that could have been filled but most people manage to never get fillings in their front teeth. So even if these people never visited the dentist they wouldn't lose their front teeth.

Even if people have poorly formed teeth generally this will only be one or two types of tooth in the mouth, not them all. And again a lot of people manage to not get decay in poorly formed teeth.

Unless there is chemotherapy involved I have very very rarely met someone who needs a lot of work with perfect oral hygiene. I would be a little wary of his personal hygiene.

It is great that you are willing to work with him on his teeth, I wouldn't judge someone for dentures. A lot of people have dentures. At the end of the day we can't undo the past only sort out what's there. Also implants are just fixed dentures, I would rather kiss someone with removable dentures than fixed implants as they are easier to keep clean!

@hellsbellsmelons

Its not that unusual to have full dentures at 40!, I know loads of people who have them. My dentist has had to refer 16 year olds to the dental hospital for the lot out due to decay.
I don't know about kissing someone with dentures, a lady I worked with had a bottom one and kissed a new boyfriend, she said that he was taking her denture with his tongue and she was trying to push it down with hers !!!. LOL.