What are “Turkey Teeth?”
The most popular country Brits have been choosing when heading abroad for dental treatment is currently Turkey. This movement has given rise to the phrase “Turkey teeth”, describing the teeth of those individuals who have travelled to improve their smile abroad for a lower financial cost than here in the U.K.
However, whilst the draw of cheap dental treatment might seem too tempting to resist, it often ends up really damaging your wallet in the long-term, as well as your oral health.
Let’s take a look at why a set of “Turkey teeth” aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
You might not be getting the treatment you thought you were
According to research carried out by the BBC, practitioners abroad have been fitting patients with crowns, when they were expecting veneers. Having a crown fitted requires up to 75% of a tooth to be shaved down, and in many cases, practitioners in Turkey will remove healthy tooth structure, to place crowns for purely cosmetic reasons.
Whilst veneers are used to improve the appearance of a tooth that’s a little bit worse for wear in the cosmetic department, crowns are predominantly a restorative treatment for repairing the function of a tooth.
Many patients seeking treatment abroad have reported not being aware that they were undergoing an invasive procedure involving removing a substantial amount of healthy tooth structure.
By contrast, at Park Dental Care, you will be fully briefed on what to expect from your treatment, and your dentist will not proceed unless they are satisfied that you understand the necessary steps involved.
You could pick up a dental infection
The reality is that the in-clinic hygiene standards set in countries such as Turkey are less exacting than those expected here in the U.K. This means you’re putting yourself at risk of picking up a possible infection, which could only develop once you arrive back home. This means needing to seek an emergency dental appointment to address this.
The NHS at home might not be able to treat you if things go wrong
Should complex remedial treatment be required, you may not be able to get this through the NHS, as they’re likely not to have the resources to resolve the problem.
Here at Park Dental Care, we are seeing a rise in patients coming back from countries like Turkey, Poland and Hungary, with teeth they’re unhappy with and with unpleasant symptoms like sensitivity and pain. Whilst we are here to help patients who come to us with these issues, we strongly recommend coming to see us to discuss your options before you consider going abroad for your dental care.
If you are seeking to have a complex dental procedure that requires multiple visits, you have the option to spread the cost of this with us. Take a look at our finance page here to find out more.
Contact Park Dental Care for high-quality, safe dental treatment in Nottingham
We have been a reliable, safe and quality-orientated private dental practice for over 20 years and we continue to look after patients who have been with us since the very beginning.
We are also accepting new patients here in Nottingham, so please contact us if you would like some further advice about travelling abroad for your dental treatment.
