It’s no secret that access to dental care is one of the biggest problems currently facing the UK. Months of covid lockdowns caused many dental practices to shut their doors permanently. The lack of dentists and the backlog of patients waiting for care has led to many people across the UK not seeing a dentist in months, sometimes years. With the cost of living crisis, not everyone can afford a private dental appointment.
Some patients have turned to online platforms such as TikTok and YouTube for tutorials to perform their own DIY dentistry. Whilst not all of the hacks you see online are necessarily harmful to your oral health, some risk causing permanent damage to your teeth.
Here’s our list of popular hacks to absolutely avoid.
Lemon Juice and Salt “toothpaste” – Recipes for at home stain remover might seem tempting to brighten your smile, and they may even work. Users on TikTok have recommended using a combination of lemon juice and salt in place of toothpaste to create a bright white smile, but what their videos don’t show is the catastrophic damage they’re causing to their enamel.
Enamel is the thin protective layer that covers your teeth and protects bacteria from entering – it’s like a suit of armour for your smile. When enamel is damaged, it’s gone for good as it doesn’t grow back!
The combination of lemon juice and salt is particularly damaging as the acid from the lemon juice weakens the enamel, and the highly abrasive salt scrapes the enamel off, causing irreparable long-term damage.
DIY Braces – TikTokers have shown themselves moving their teeth using rubber bands. Whilst some TikTokers have successfully managed to make their smile seem straight quickly, what you can’t see is the damage done to the tooth roots under the surface. Moving teeth might seem simple, but it’s an extremely complicated process that requires careful monitoring by a trained dentist to ensure no damage is caused to the bones, nerves, and blood supply beneath the surface. Even if people have managed to move their own teeth, the teeth will eventually return to their original position without a proper retainer from a dentist.
Hydrogen Peroxide Bleaching – Another home tooth whitening method, applying hydrogen peroxide to your teeth is extremely dangerous. Not only can it cause sensitivity, it can also cause burns to the gums and tongue if applied incorrectly. Dentist led teeth whitening is affordable and long lasting, and is a much safer option than risking damaging your smile with harsh chemicals.
Filing Teeth – Whilst dentists will shave the teeth for treatments like crowns and veneers, this is done extremely carefully, and dentists are trained to only remove the minimum amount of enamel required for treatment. Using at home methods like nail files, sandpaper, or even dental tools bought online is extremely damaging to your oral health. By filing your own teeth you risk causing irreparable damage to your teeth, allowing bacteria to enter the dentine (the middle of your tooth), causing decay and infections. Over-shaving your teeth can expose nerve endings causing extreme pain. If you want to change the shape of your teeth, see a dentist about cosmetic treatment options like composite bonding.
Overall, there are no safe ways to perform dentistry at home. Dental professionals train for years to be able to provide safe and effective treatment, and you can’t learn the same level of knowledge or expect to accomplish the same results from a YouTube tutorial.
Whilst we understand it’s difficult to get treatment at present, resorting to DIY dentistry does more harm than good. If you’re looking to get dental treatment but are worried about the cost, we offer a range of treatment options and can offer solutions at various price points, plus we allow patients to spread the cost with finance for up to 5 years. There’s no need to damage your smile for the sake of saving money on private treatment (especially not for cosmetic reasons like whitening) as you will likely need to see a dentist to repair any damage caused, costing you more money in the long term.
It’s always safer to see a professional dentist. Call us today to find out how we can help you smile at a manageable cost.