More and more people have been opening up about their dental experiences abroad, leaving UK dentists to pick up the pieces when things go wrong.
Now, one woman has shared her horrendous ‘Turkey teeth’ experience, which left her requiring serious treatment when she returned to the UK. Check out the video below:
After dropping £6,000 for the procedure, Katie Inglis headed to the EU country on a quest for a bright, white smile. And while her new teeth may look impressive, they have been littered with problems which her dentist back at home had to rectify.
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The dentist at the practice abroad performed 13 root canals, or removals, on her teeth in one eight-hour procedure under general anaesthetic, while 24 of her teeth were shaved down, Katie claimed, to make space for the crowns and implants.
According to Advanced Dental Care of Round Rock, most qualified dentists will not perform more than one root canal procedure at any one time due to the amount of time required to complete just one, as well as the difficulty in effectively numbing a patient’s mouth in more than one area.
Katie claimed that the aftermath of the surgery left her being ‘violently sick’ and ‘bed-bound for four days solid’, while photos showed her in a wheelchair as she left the hospital and in her hotel room.
Her face, including her nose, chin and jaw was visibly swollen and bruised as she recovered from the unregulated treatment.
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Meanwhile, she stated: “The cementing (where the dental implants are retained into the mouth using cement) was the most horrific and worst pain ever.”
Her gums were visibly left filled with green putty used to take her tooth impressions in more than four areas of her mouth, which meant that she required ‘several stitches’ when she returned to the UK to remove the debris, she claimed.
She has since posted several videos on TikTok in order to shed light on her painful dental experience abroad.
Katie captioned one video: “Make awareness – warning people – still ongoing problems 3 months later!”
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And the woman is not the only one who has suffered from dental trauma as a result of seeking treatment in unregulated practices abroad, a survey from the British Dental Association (BDA) suggests that this trend is a growing one.
In fact, 86 percent of dentists surveyed in the UK reported that they treated cases that developed problems following treatment abroad, with 87 percent of practitioners identifying crowns, and 85 percent believing that implants most likely required follow-up work when done abroad.
Eddie Crouch, the chair of the BDA said in a statement: "Dentists are aware that many people are struggling to access care and may be tempted to go overseas for cut-price treatment.
"Patients need to provide informed consent for any treatment they have and be wary of a hard-sell, as the reality is rarely as simple as it appears on Instagram. Sadly, many UK dentists are now picking up the pieces when things go wrong.
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"Complex courses of treatment typically require detailed preparation and a number of follow-up visits. Patients should be aware of the risks and alternatives to the treatment desired, and get advice on what they should do in the event of problems occurring when they return.
"The cost of follow-up treatment needs to be factored in. If there are complications, the initial price may not be such a bargain.
"We strongly advise people considering this to check a dentist's qualifications and experience and whether they are insured if things go wrong," he concluded.
Topics: Health
Gabriella Ferlita