We’ve all heard about Turkey Teeth, and many of us have genuinely thought about going abroad for the uniform, very white style of smile. The price of dentistry abroad is attractive when compared to other options. The speed is compelling. And social media has helped make these abominations popular. But behind each of those glossy heavily-filtered photographs and ceramic smiles are serious questions about dental health.

How bad can ‘Turkey teeth’ really be?

The simple answer: absolutely awful.

I remember the first time I ever saw someone with what we’d call Turkey Teeth. I was working in Blackpool in the urgent care clinic about 12 years ago, and had an unfortunate young man attend with 28 brand new crowns and 4 dental infections. He had been abroad about 2 weeks prior, and had every single tooth in his mouth crowned with toilet-bowl shade ceramic. I had the unenviable job of cutting through 4 of those crowns to start root canal treatment. It hurt my heart to see a young man destroy his healthy teeth just because of his desire to achieve a look that was simply unnatural.

I came away from that clinic broken and hoping it would be the last time I saw something like that.

And it was, for a while.

About 12 months later I saw my second case in an emergency clinic. Then it was 9 months later to the next one. Then it was 6 months until the next one. And now?

Now it’s almost every month I see at least one person in an emergency clinic with severe pain or swelling following extensive treatment abroad. And some of my routine patients are now showing up with brand new and entirely fake smiles. This is no longer an unusual occurrence, but something us dentists have to deal with on a regular basis.

One of the main concerns surrounding Turkey Teeth is the amount of natural tooth structure that is usually required to be removed to create space for the crowns.

Natural tooth enamel doesn’t grow back. And removing it isn’t without risk.

Once a significant amount of healthy enamel has been removed, the treatment is entirely irreversible. This is why cosmetic dentistry should be carefully planned and involve a clear explanation of what is going to be done and the long-term implications of that treatment. It should not be done over the course of a long-weekend in some sketchy dental clinic in a poorly regulated country.

It is a profound concern that patients are travelling abroad for treatment where there is limited scope for assessment, planning and face-to-face consultation prior to treatment; and where they may find follow up care more complicated if (or rather, when) something goes wrong.

Even worse, it is more common than not to see cases where the new crowns have been joined to each other. There is no good reason to do this, and multiple significant reasons not to. The expectation of healthy teeth and health gums 10 years following such a procedure is very low.

But it’s cheaper, right?

Is it?

Is it really?

Consider all of the factors that go into the long-term care for your teeth. The flights, accommodation, and treatment for the initial destruction of your teeth. Then the follow up appointments. And the treatment for any complications that arise. And the replacement of the crown(s) when (not if) they fail. And any potential root canal treatments or implants that are required to address the teeth that fail badly. And the extensive treatment for gum disease that will almost certainly be required after they glue all of your teeth together. If you’re looking for the cheapest option, at least take into account all of the costs.

If you do the maths and find it still cheaper, are the savings worth the other costs?

The most frustrating case I’ve seen was a patient I saw who travelled abroad to save about £400 on a root canal treatment and white crown. This went badly wrong, and they returned to the UK to pay over £1000 to clinics at home to address the significant mess up of treatment they’d had abroad. Combined with their treatment costs abroad, they were significantly out of pocket and considerably worse off than if they’d just had the treatment done at a reputable clinic.

A beautiful smile shouldn’t come at the expense of your dental health.

There are almost always options for changing the aesthetics of your mouth without destroying your teeth. For example, many people considering Turkey Teeth will get an excellent result from the combination of orthodontics/aligners and whitening. And this option is likely to be safer, more stable, and much cheaper in the long run. If this sounds like an option you’d like to explore, come find me in Burnside Dental Care, Rutherglen, and I’ll do the best I can for you.

Your teeth are valuable. Anyone considering removing healthy tooth tissue for crowns or veneers should make sure they are well aware of the short and long-term implications of this decision, as well as the myriad of options that are not as destructive (but may still put you in a position of being happier with your smile).

Look beyond the social media posts. Look beyond the smile in those heavily curated and half-faked photographs. Understand the treatment, understand the risks, and understand the long-term maintenance and risks. Make the health of your mouth a priority over anything else.