3 Dental trends on Facebook that will destroy your teeth! Beware of the false Whitening claims!

My millennial patients and Facebook friends ask me about various dental fades that they see on social media. These products show off amazing results by various “new” dental products and claim superior results over trusted dental brands. Social media influencers sell these products to unsuspecting followers to make a quick buck. These products have no true merit with regards to Their claims and they often can cause serious harm with long term use.

1: Toothpaste Nuskin AP24 is highly abrasive can scrape and scratch your enamel, it then coats them in titanium dioxide (white paint) that is thickened by dimethicone and other agents to stay on your teeth for a short period of time. In short this product will not give you desired long term results. If you need whiter teeth for a wedding or professional photos for a short term project use it. Long term use can lead to yellowing and staining of your teeth because as you use it it will erode your natural enamel over time.

2: Activated charcoal although great for absorbing toxins in some situations, use on your teeth can be disastrous. It is very abrasive and can scratch your enamel thus weakening your teeth. Long term use can also cause yellowing and staining of your teeth.

3: Use of lemon juice or other natural acids to whiten your teeth. Just as the other two trends acid erodes the enamel. It erodes it on a chemical level gradient by causing the calcium and phosphate crystals in your enamel to be lost. Long term use can cause yellowing and staining to your teeth.

These trends can cause permanent damage requiring people to get costly fillings, crowns and veneers to restore the appearance of your teeth. Once enamel is lost it doesn’t grow back, exposed Denton not only looks yellow or brown it can cause painful sensitive teeth. If you want whiter teeth or are searching for a more natural dental product be sure to ask your dentist or your orthodontist for recommendations.