01 Sep 5 Trendy Dental Hacks You Should Avoid
The internet is brimming with hacks for everything, including dental hacks. From whitening to straightening, there seem to be DIY ways to do just about anything. While some of these hacks are harmless, others can do a lot of damage to your teeth. The staff at Hicks Dental Group want to protect your dental health, so we’d like to warn you about some of the trendy dental hacks online. Here are five things you should never try!
Five Trendy Dental Hacks You Should Avoid
1: DIY Braces
Straightening your teeth at home has become a popular trend on TikTok, but any kind of at-home straightening is dangerous for your teeth. The process of straightening teeth is a very delicate one, and should only be done by a professional orthodontist. Timing, tightness, and placement are all scientific factors that orthodontists consider when fitting teeth with braces.
DIY braces can cause major issues, like damage to the enamel and root of the tooth. They can even shift teeth and make them more crooked. If braces seem expensive, there are ways to make them more affordable, from selecting a specific type to setting up financing and payment plan options.
2: Removing Braces at Home
Another popular internet dental care hack is removing braces at home. Never attempt to remove your own braces! We cannot stress this enough. Braces are designed to stay put for prolonged periods, and are not easy to remove. Improperly removing braces can cause serious, permanent damage to your teeth.
Removing braces at home can chip your teeth, damage your enamel, and cause major sensitivity. Prematurely removing your braces before they are scheduled to come off can undo all the progress teeth have made in straightening. If your braces are causing you a lot of pain, consult your orthodontist so they can adjust them for you.
3: Filing Teeth
Everyone’s teeth are different, and that’s not anything to be ashamed of. Recently, videos of people filing their teeth to smooth them or create a more desirable shape have been trending. Don’t do it! As tempting as it may be to shape your teeth at home with a file, you will do much more harm than good.
Enameloplasty is the name for the professional procedure for contouring or shaping teeth, and should only be performed by a dentist. Filing your teeth at home can remove enamel and cause tooth sensitivity, risk of tooth decay, and tooth pain. If you aren’t satisfied with the cosmetic appearance of your teeth, talk to us about your options.
4: Charcoal Teeth Whitening
Charcoal isn’t just trendy online, it’s also popping up as a whitening agent in lots of commercial and natural toothpastes. While charcoal does appear to whiten teeth, the long term damage it causes is not worth the risk.
Charcoal is abrasive, and it will scrape stains off your teeth. However, in the process it also scrapes off your enamel. Damaging the enamel on your teeth can lead to sensitivity, and increased risk for cavities. There are many safe at-home whitening options, so there’s no reason to use a charcoal product that could damage your teeth.
5: Straight Peroxide Whitening
While hydrogen peroxide is the primary ingredient used in professional whitening, using it at home can cause issues in your mouth. In professional whitening, the exact percentage of hydrogen peroxide is carefully calculated and used in conjunction with other ingredients for a safe whitening experience.
Straight hydrogen peroxide used at home as a whitening treatment is incredibly risky. High concentrations of peroxide will erode tooth enamel, especially if applied for days in a row. The best way to use peroxide to whiten your teeth at home is to use a toothpaste, mouthwash or whitening strips that your dentist recommended. If these products aren’t working well enough, you may want to consider a professional whitening session.
Curious About an Internet Dental Hack? Ask Us!
If you’ve seen a dental hack or at home dental treatment online that you want to try, ask us about it next time you come in for an appointment. At Hicks Dental Group, we care about the long term health of your teeth, and we know that some DIY treatments do more harm than good. If you’re looking for a dentist in the Prescott, Arizona area, come see us! Contact us today—call 928-445-6030 or texting 928-487-4583 to schedule an appointment.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (8/30/21). Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash