Searches for ‘Turkey teeth’ have increased by 10,000% following a mention by a contestant on ITV’s Love Island.
The new series of Love Island, which began on 5 June, has triggered a 10,000% increase in searches for ‘Turkey teeth’ overnight, reports The Liverpool Echo.
Contestant Jess Harding surprised many viewers when she stated that her ideal partner would have ‘Turkey teeth’. The phrase is a nickname for dental veneers, which are offered for a lower price in certain countries including Turkey.
The cheaper price tag has seen increasing numbers of foreign patients travel to Turkey specifically to receive aesthetic dental treatment. One Turkish clinic, Dentakay, told the Evening Standard that their patient base had expanded from 15 to 1,400 since 2019.
However, the advisability of undergoing such treatment is debated among dental professionals.
The problem with ‘Turkey teeth’
Many patients don’t realise that the tooth filing which precedes veneer application is a permanent change to their natural teeth. The need to restore the veneers every 10 to 15 years must also be factored in when considering cost.
There are also other ways to achieve the shape, alignment and level of whitening that many patients desire.
Principal dentist, Jon Hewitt, pointed out some of the alternative treatments to Grazia: ‘In the UK … we would straighten and then whiten the teeth, and we also use composite bonding which does minimal damage to the teeth.’
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This treatment path is much less invasive. It could also end up cheaper than ‘Turkey teeth’ once additional restorations are factored in.
Jon Hewitt also commented on the impact of celebrities on patients’ expectations for their smiles: ‘Seeing celebrities smiling with perfect teeth on social media is a major influence on young people. People often come to me saying they want the “Love Island look”.’
Around 1.2 million viewers watched the first episode of Love Island Series 10, according to The Guardian.
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