Avoid These Viral Dental Fads: They Could Harm Your Smile
While TikTok might be brilliant for dance crazes and recipe inspiration, it’s quickly becoming a dental professional’s worst nightmare when it comes to DIY oral care. With more than half of Generation Z reportedly turning to TikTok before Google for health advice, it’s no wonder that a wave of questionable “dental hacks” has gone viral. However, cosmetic dentists are raising the alarm – warning that many of these trends, though often followed with good intentions, could lead to lasting damage and an unwanted trip to the dentist. Here are six so-called smile shortcuts that are worrying dental experts – and what you should know before trying them. 1. Filing Your Teeth Like Fingernails One of the most disturbing trends doing the rounds online is known as the “nail-file smile”, where people use nail files or sandpaper to reshape their teeth. Dentists strongly advise against this. Filing your teeth at home can strip away enamel permanently, leading to tooth sensitivity, decay, and in s...