TikTok has seen a ton of usage these past few years due to the pandemic.
Unfortunately, it also led to an increase in DIY solutions for many things, including dental problems.
Dentists are warning against these TikTok dental trends spreading around. They are often made by unlicensed influencers offering oral health advice to save viewers some money or improve their appearance quickly. Sadly, all they’re doing is causing more harm than good.
Please, avoid these TikTok dental hacks if you want to keep your teeth and mouth healthy.
Teeth Whitening Using Hydrogen Peroxide
Using hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth was a popular hack where a person swishes hydrogen peroxide through the mouth or applies it on their teeth using a Q-tip, then letting it dry for five minutes.
This TikTok teeth whitening hack is not entirely wrong. Yes, most whitening products, like whitening strips, contain hydrogen peroxide as the main whitening agent. And yes, some dentists do use it in their clinics. However, the hydrogen peroxide dentists use is often diluted with water in a one-is-to-five ratio, not straight out of the bottle. Using hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth regularly may also result in teeth sensitivity and gum irritation.
Using Magic Eraser To Brighten Teeth
Some videos on TikTok show people using Magic Eraser on teeth to make them look whiter. Many see this as a great hack to try, especially with the materials already available at home; dentists think otherwise.
Magic Eraser is mainly composed of melamine, the material used to make plastic dishes. It can react with saliva and cause various health problems like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Magic Eraser may also make your teeth yellower. Melamine is highly abrasive and can scrub away enamel, the white protective layer of your teeth. Scrubbing away your tooth’s enamel will expose the layer of dentin underneath, which is yellow.
Doing this Tiktok dental hack will result in sensitive and more yellow teeth, the very thing you’re trying to avoid.
Using Hair to Floss Teeth
Using hair to floss your teeth may seem like a great idea, but it’s really not. Hair can’t dislodge plaque and can break easily. Flossing teeth can remove plaque and prevent tartar formation at the gum line. However, using the right tools is important. Using the wrong tools — like hair — can irreversibly damage the gums.
Putting Mouthwash and Toothpaste in the Same Dispenser
Who doesn’t want to be efficient? Many would think mixing mouthwash and toothpaste in a dispenser will make their oral hygiene routines more efficient; however, it’s doing more harm than good.
Have you ever seen toothpaste in a clear tube? Manufacturers don’t put them in clear tubes because they are not UV-stable; exposing toothpaste to light makes them less effective.
Rubbing mouthwash on your teeth using a toothbrush also damages your teeth. Some mouthwash brands are acidic with a pH around 5.5 or below, which is also the same pH level teeth start to dissolve.
All you’re doing by following this TikTok dental hack is rubbing acidic mouthwash and less effective toothpaste onto your teeth, potentially damaging them.
Using Rubber Bands to Close Teeth Gaps
Many think using braces to straighten their teeth is time-consuming and tedious, which is probably why some TikTok users sought other ways to straighten teeth at a fraction of the time and cost, like using rubber bands.
Dental experts say that people who try this TikTok dental hack will probably lose their teeth a couple of years later. Using rubber bands to close teeth gaps may deliver fast results, but moving teeth that fast will put pressure on the root and lead to its resorption, making it shorter. Shorter roots may cause your tooth to come loose and fall out.
Dentists and orthodontists do use rubber bands to move teeth. However, the bands they use differ in tension and thickness, allowing them to control how fast teeth shift, unlike the rubber bands and hair ties TikTokers use.
Rubber bands are also not as biocompatible as those used by dentists. They are essentially foreign objects stuck between teeth, which may irritate the gums and accumulate bacteria. Prolonging this situation will eventually lead to gum disease and bone loss.
Teeth Shaving Using a Nail File
TikTok teeth shaving is another extreme trend you should avoid. TikTok users are seen using nail files to correct the shape or straighten each of their teeth. This trend does rake in millions of views, but you end up with sensitive teeth.
Dentists do shave teeth, but they are trained professionals who know what they’re doing. On the other hand, untrained people may shave down their teeth too much, wearing the enamel down until they reach the dentin layer of their teeth, resulting in permanent damage and sensitivity. They may also shave their teeth too much that they reach the tooth’s nerves, damage it, and cause an infection.
DIY Dentures Using Moldable Plastic
Some TikTok users also suggest using moldable plastic to replace missing teeth instead of having one made by a dentist. Sure, it’s cheap, but it’s not safe. Dentures made with moldable plastic can trap food, bacteria, and plaque. Eventually, it will irritate and inflame the gums and bone, leading to permanent loss and recession.
These “dentures” are also a choking hazard since they’re not as secure as professionally-made dentures.
Key Takeaway
TikTok dental videos and trends that promote DIY solutions to oral problems are not safe for everyone to try, and they send the wrong message about how to take care of your teeth. Performing some of these dental treatments on yourself without any training or correct knowledge will only cause significant and long-lasting damage to your teeth, gums, and oral health.
Good dental hygiene and visiting professionals are the keys to preventing many oral problems and keeping your teeth healthy.
Experience professional dental care at Century Dental.
You don’t need TikTok dentists. You need professionals like our dentists near South Pasadena, FL, who are trained and experienced in providing the best oral care. Contact us today with your inquiries and oral health concerns. We’ll gladly care for your teeth.
