The 3 Most Dangerous Dental Trends on TikTok
TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms with 1.5 billion users. The short-form videos influence trends from everything from fashion to dentistry. However, these dental trends are not inspiring laughs among oral health professionals.
With 1.6 billion users, people of all ages flock to TikTok to catch the latest trends and enjoy some harmless entertainment. Unfortunately, these top dental trends are no laughing matter. Following are 3 of the most dangerous dental trends on TikTok.
- Filing your own teeth.
Yikes! TikTokers are filing their own teeth down in preparation for restorative procedures such as crowns or veneers or to make the lengths of their teeth more uniform. Oral health professionals know that this is a no-no as it most certainly will damage the enamel. Check this trend out here.
- Plastic dentures.
While seeing a prosthodontist for a pair of custom-made dentures may be costly, do-it-yourself plastic dentures are not the answer. Here is how one edentulous patient made her own dentures.
- Rubber bands to fix malocclusion.
Many dental insurers don’t cover orthodontics because the therapy is considered cosmetic. However, crooked teeth can certainly impact quality of life, but trying to change your smile yourself using rubber bands seems inherently risky. See how one TikToker took orthodontics into his own hands.
