Love Island is back for another season, and it’s not just the romantic matches that have got fans talking.
The reality TV series is a focal point for fashion and cosmetic trends – we’ve been warned against the risks of the Love Island Face phenomenon, which was coined after a surge in popularity of lip, cheek, jaw, and tear trough filler in line with contestants’ looks on the show.
Brands are vying to advertise their clothing and other products on the show, and why wouldn’t they? The launch night last night had 3 million viewers.
The latest trend being discussed on the villa, and subsequently the Internet, is ‘Turkey Teeth’, a specific look achieved by cosmetic treatment like veneers on teeth that make your teeth look perhaps unnaturally square, typically carried out in Turkey for cheaper prices than in the UK.
Contestant Jess Harding got everyone talking about the trend when she told Love Island presenter Maya Jama that her ideal man would have Turkey Teeth.
She said: 'I like Turkey Teeth, I don't know why!’, to which Maya responded: ‘Well, do you know what that is niche!’
‘Don't get me wrong I'm not just looking for someone with Turkey Teeth,’ Jess explained. ‘If they'e got nice teeth that's fine, but if they've got Turkey teeth that's a bonus!’
Fans of the show have taken to Twitter to air their confusion and amusement at ‘Turkey Teeth’ being a part of someone’s ‘type’: ‘I’m sorry but Turkey teeth is insane’ one posted, while another wrote: ‘How can someone say their type is TURKEY TEETH i cba’.
Unsurprisingly, Internet searches for ‘Turkey Teeth’ have increased a whopping 10,000% overnight – but should this cosmetic trend be one that we praise and promote on reality TV and look for in a partner?
There are myriad issues with these dental procedures, including the fact that it may not be cheaper in the long run, and could end up causing patients long-term health issues.
‘Young people often don’t realise that there can be real long-term damage jetting off abroad to places like Turkey for the cheaper dental treatments,’ dentist Dr Jon Hewitt tells Grazia.
‘When you get a full set of crowns, the teeth are permanently filed down to pegs,’ he explains. ‘So even though it might be cheaper upfront, people going to Turkey also don't think about having to get them restored every 10 to 15 years.’
Dr Hewitt says that shows like Love Island and, of course, social media play a huge role in skewing beauty standards and encouraging these kinds of cosmetic procedures that include ongoing costs and health risks.
‘Seeing celebrities smiling with perfect teeth on social media is a major influence on young people,’ he says. ‘People often come to me saying they want the “Love Island look”, and in Turkey, they do it for much cheaper and faster upfront compared to the UK, so people go there.
‘But they don’t realise there can be real long-term damage using that method.’
Jack Fincham, who won Love Island’s 2018 series, has admitted to regretting his own ‘Turkey Teeth’ procedure, that he didn’t know the risks beforehand and he didn’t want people watching him on TV and going for similar treatment without knowing the full story.
‘There was nothing wrong with them,’ he says of his old teeth. ‘There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t know.’
With trends like these becoming more popular and informing how fashionable they are as a ‘type’ on Love Island, there’s also an increased risk those who don’t have the disposable income to pay for these procedures will opt for cheaper, less safe alternatives that may risk their health.
‘Many people, some as young as 18, aspire to have the bright white, very square and unnatural look,’ Dr Hewitt explains. ‘In the UK, to do this we would straighten and then whiten the teeth, and we also use composite bonding which does minimal damage to the teeth.
‘I had one young lady come to me in tears saying, “please help me, I know I have ruined my teeth” and another client who had been to Turkey and her teeth were literally fused together – you couldn’t even pass floss between them.’
If you are considering having such a procedure yourself, dentist Dr Payal Bhalla adds that it’s important to take aftercare into account when considering travelling abroad for such treatments, especially as veneers often require adjustments and refinements after their initial fitting.
'It's crucial to do thorough research before choosing a dental clinic, read reviews, and consult with your regular dentist to discuss the feasibility and potential risks of getting treatment abroad,’ she adds.
So while we all undeniably have types and attractive characteristics that we feel are non-negotiable, and are susceptible to fashion and aesthetic trends on social media and TV shows, we should also be vigilant when it comes to whether all of these looks are safe, to participate in or encourage.