Dental TikTok Trends: DIY Whitening

There are all sorts of "teeth whitening hacks" that can be found on TikTok that range from being useless to completely terrifying. We'll be taking a look at the latest trends and give you the facts!

Some of the most common ingredients in these hacks include lemon juice and baking soda. This is a really great way of stripping away the precious enamel layer of your teeth, which serves to protect the very sensitive dentine layer underneath. Enamel is irreplaceable; it is the hardest substance in your entire body and once it's gone, it's gone.

When you erode and abrade your enamel with acidic and coarse substances such as lemon juice and baking soda, you end up exposing more of the dentine. The dentine is naturally darker in colour, so the overall result is the teeth actually appearing more yellow and discoloured, not to mention sensitive and vulnerable to decay!

Another popular hack doing the rounds is to use store-bought peroxide or bleach products to whiten the teeth. You would think that it goes without saying, but you should never use chemicals in your mouth without any form of guidance or prescription from a dental professional.

Swishing your mouth with peroxide mouthwash for a few minutes is not the same as using professional whitening gels. Peroxide mouthwash can be useful in treating mouth ulcers but not for teeth whitening. The concentration of peroxide, method in which it is applied, how long it is in contact with your teeth and the consistency all make a big difference!

The whitening gels that dentists can prescribe are specifically formulated to ensure safety and effectiveness. They need to be used in a certain way to give you the results you want to achieve. Anything else will, at best, not work but in the worst case scenario, cause irreversible damage.

It is also worth noting that a lot of these influencers may have had composite or porcelain veneers, and the whiteness of their teeth isn't a result of the hack they are promoting. Natural teeth have a limit to how white they will go, even with professional teeth whitening treatments.

The last one we have to mention is the purple shampoo trend. There's not much to say about this one to be honest... Other than don't use shampoo on your teeth? We're not sure how this one is claiming to work, except perhaps the optical illusion of your teeth obviously looking whiter than when they are purple.

Teeth whitening is a form of dentistry, and it can only be carried out by a registered dentist or therapist (under the prescription of a dentist). It is against the law for anyone else to provide this treatment, and it is there to protect you and keep you safe.

Here's a few examples of our whitening results carried out by our experienced team:

If you would like to safely whiten your teeth, come and have a chat with one of our friendly and experienced dental professionals at Your Smile Clinic.

Call 0161 327 2878 or book a free whitening consultation here