A WOMAN who was nicknamed 'wheelie bin teeth' by bullies has got her smile back after a dentist flew her to Turkey for life-changing surgery – when they spotted her on TikTok.
Paige Griffin, 26, had been teased for her 'one black, one brown and one green' teeth since primary school and the nasty comments continued as an adult.
The mum-of-one struggled to work as a sales consultant due to fear of showing her teeth, and would never smile with her teeth on show.
Over the years she went to various dentists who couldn’t find a cause for her stained teeth, and the trolling followed her onto social media when she set up a TikTok page.
Paige’s social media was bombarded with nasty comments – but some sympathetic followers suggested she set up a GoFundMe page for dental support, and Paige successfully raised £400.
She had almost given up hope when she received a surprise message from SmileDental in May 2022 – a dentist in Turkey.
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The clinic offered to give her a new set of crowns and porcelain veneers for free – saving her £5,030.
She flew over for the life-changing surgery with her partner, Rhys, 21, an ex-army officer and drainage engineer, on May 31st – where she also had nine fillings and two teeth taken out.
The Turkish dentists informed Paige that the real cause of the stained teeth was due to gum disease, which had been neglected by Paige’s previous dentists.
She is now overjoyed with the results and said she is finally able to smile with confidence for the first time in her life.
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The stay-at-home mum, from Walsall, Birmingham said: “I was blown away that a stranger could offer such kindness.
"I feel like I've finally got my smile back.
"I've refused to smile with my teeth on show my whole life but now I can't stop beaming.
“I’ve never had a single ounce of good luck, so at first I didn’t believe them when they reached out.
“It’s completely changed my life.”
'I was tormented'
After joining TikTok in April 2021, hate and 'nasty comments' about her teeth flooded her profile.
Paige said: “For years people said I had wheelie bin teeth because I had one black, one brown and one green.
“I just wanted to be loved and liked, and my teeth prevented me from finding love and friendships.
“I was tormented and resented myself.”
In May 2022, Paige got a message from SmileDental, a dental practice in Turkey, who offered to give her a new set of crowns and veneers for free.
For years people said I had wheelie bin teeth because I had one black, one brown and one green. I just wanted to be loved
SmileDental acknowledged the suffering that Paige was enduring online, and wanted to help.
Despite being reluctant at first thinking it was a scam, she soon felt confident to accept the offer after checking their 69.7k Instagram following and realising it was legitimate.
Paige, who has nearly 49,000 TikTok followers, was told the entire cost was around £5,030 and that “she didn’t need to worry about a thing”.
She said: “I never thought that I would ever be able to afford such an expensive surgery.
“I was shocked by how much the whole procedure would’ve cost.”
'Treated like a celeb'
Earlier this year Paige travelled to Turkey and was greeted at the airport by one of the drivers for the dentist.
“I felt like a celebrity – they had a sign and everything,” she said.
The TikToker had nine filings and two teeth extracted before the process began.
She said: “My teeth were filed down, and I was given veneers a day later.”
Paige returned home on June 8th and surprised her followers on TikTok live with her new smile.
She said: “For the first time, the haters were drowned out by positive support and compliments.
I can smile at strangers in Tesco with confidence and take photos and smile with my son for the first time
“I never thought I could be considered ‘beautiful’ and now I am.”
After a couple of weeks back in the UK, Paige highlighted the noticeable change in her confidence.
She said: “I can smile at strangers in Tesco with confidence.
“I can take photos and smile with my son for the first time.”
SmileDental Turkey’s senior patient coordinator Hasan Sarıtekelir, who organised the flights, surgery and hotel for Paige, said: “We had an incredible experience, so did she!
“We strived to empathise with her.
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“The process started with a coincidence in fact, and being very parallel to our goals as an enterprise.
“We simply wanted to be a figure in her life, a part of her wonderful smile."
Be wary of cheap dental treatment abroad
DENTISTS are aware that many people are struggling to access care and may be tempted to go overseas for cut-price treatment.
There are excellent dental clinics abroad.
Just be wary of those with the hard sell, where there is pressure to make a quick decision with no discussion of possible complications or aftercare.
Clearly a winning smile can give people huge confidence, but avoid celebs touting cheap and quick fixes abroad, which turn out to be anything but.
Treatment abroad may not be as cheap as it seems if it involves repeat visits, complications, legal fees and corrective work.
Instead of gambling with your health, the solution to lasting smiles may be simpler and cheaper closer to home.
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