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TikTok Users Promote Questionable DIY Oral Health Treatments
It seems that not even dentistry is safe from the abundance of misinformation found on social media.
Popular app TikTok has become a favorite vehicle for trendsetters, whose short, homemade videos on pretty much anything—including challenges, pop culture, and life hacks—are downloaded by billions across the globe. Unfortunately, not all of the information shared on TikTok is correct, beneficial, or even safe.
TikTok, launched in the United States in 2017, has picked up steam ever since. The platform is filled with videos advocating do-it-yourself (DIY) dental treatments ranging from tooth whitening to orthodontics. But this didn’t happen overnight. The dental community started taking notice a few years ago.
UPHILL BATTLE
A 2017 survey conducted by the American Association of Orthodontics indicated that approximately 13% of its members had seen patients, mostly teens and young adults, who had attempted their own teeth straightening, some with disastrous results. The organization attributed most of this DIY orthodontics to social media tutorial videos.1
In 2018, the American Dental Association launched a public awareness campaign, discouraging DYI dentistry.1 Since then, the dental community has continued to mobilize to counter this damaging trend before fashion-conscious individuals permanently damage their teeth.
DYI DENTAL HACKS
One of the latest hip tips features influencers demonstrating how to even up or change the shape of front teeth, using nail files or emery boards. Unfortunately, in the process, they are filing away all their enamel, causing irreversible damage. This leaves their teeth vulnerable to decay and discoloration, and can result in hypersensitivity.
Another fad has people binding their teeth with rubber bands in an effort to straighten them. This type of homegrown therapy can reportedly have deleterious effects on the jaw, gingiva, bone, and ligaments, and even lead to tooth loss.1,2
In the quest for a whiter, brighter smile, one recent TikTok viral video recommends using a household cleaner designed to remove stains to whiten teeth.2 The cleaning product may be great for removing tough stains around the house, but it contains toxic chemicals, and its melamine-based sandpaper-like quality can permanently ruin tooth enamel.
Other TikTokers advocate applying 3% hydrogen peroxide to whiten their teeth using cotton swabs as a cheaper alternative to professional whitening procedures.2 Oral health professionals warn about this extremely harmful trend, which can cause irreversible damage, as high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, especially when used day after day, can result in sensitive teeth and irritated gingiva.
The use of hair as dental floss, plaque scrapers, and moldable plastic DYI dentures is also discouraged by oral health professionals as their incorrect application can cause assorted problems. The latter can also pose a choking risk.
KEEP IT REAL
In this climate of wildly inaccurate information, dental hygienists are likely to be among the first to encounter the results of damaging trends. All the more reason to be prepared to dispel these “hacks,” which can have significant long-lasting or permanent effects. Today, a variety of oral healthcare products are available to make oral hygiene easier and more comfortable. Through oral health education and advocating the use of appropriate dental aids, oral health professionals can better help patients master sound oral hygiene routines.
REFERENCES
- Solana K. ADA launches public awareness campaign discouraging DYI dentistry. Click here.
- Dentaquest. Parents, Kids Warned Against Viral “Dental Hacks” on TikTok. Click here.
