A leading dentist is urging Brits to stay away from the 'Turkey teeth' trend as searches for the cosmetic produce reached a whopping 9.9k per cent in the UK during the latest series of ITV's Love Island. Last week, new Islander Jess Harding revealed her attraction to men with 'Turkey Teeth'.
However, her admission has raised serious concerns from dentists - including Dr Parneet Sehmi, Principal Dentist at Hermes London Dental Clinic, who says the produce poses various health risks. "Turkey Teeth became an extremely popular social media trend over the last few years," he said.
"Particularly amongst young people and celebrities looking to have a ‘Hollywood smile’ for a fraction of the cost in their home countries. Many people have undergone the irreversible procedure, which involves your teeth being filed down to stubs and veneers or crowns being placed on top.
"But many people do not realise the various dangers around having the procedure done, nor the potential long-term damage and resulting cost of having it fixed properly." Complications that have arisen from 'Turkey Teeth' have included people suffering from intense and long-lasting pain, severe infections in the gums and mouth, and rotting teeth after the procedure.
The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) have also confirmed that since 2019, 24 British nationals have died in Turkey following medical tourism visits. Dr Sehmi warns: "Cheaper costs have been the main factor driving patients abroad, alongside perceived shorter waiting times and constant social media promotions of the perfect, dazzling white smile.
"Not only could it lead to a lifetime of dental work and hidden follow-up costs for repair work, but there have also been cases which have been refused by practitioners in the UK after deeming it too risky or difficult to repair the damage done."
Last year, the British Dental Association (BDA) conducted a survey with over 1,000 dentists, finding that 86 per cent of dentists had to treat patients who had developed complications from dental tourism, while one in five dentists said the cost to repair the damage exceeded £5,000.
Former Love Islander and winner of the 2018 series, Jack Fincham is among previous contestants who have admitted to having 'Turkey Teeth'. In an interview last year, he admitted to knowing very little about the treatment before he had the procedure.
While generally pleased with his smile, he claims he would have gone for a different option had he known more. Dr Sehmi advises: "If you feel inspired to look into medical tourism for your dentistry procedures, I strongly advise that you do thorough research first."
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He also urges people to discuss their intentions with their dentist or doctor, and to ensure they are only considering practices which have been officially registered and approved. He added: "Unfortunately, more often than not, the reality is that the results of these procedures do not match up with what is being posted online.
"You must be fully aware of what to expect from having procedures abroad, understand the various risks involved and the potential risks following the procedure."
