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With everybody on lockdown, skincare, haircare, beauty regimens, and health habits have all been undertaken as DIY endeavors. Many people have been successful in this regard, cutting their own hair and doing their own facials and whatnot. Everyone seems to be making everything a DIY project, including dental treatments.
Social media has shed light on some dental trends that are growing in popularity as a result of these at-home experiments. Some people have taken to gargling bleach, while others try shaping their teeth with nail files. You might even be wondering if some of these remedies work in place of actual dental care!
Although you should always be sure to check with your local dentist before attempting some of these DIY trends, you may be surprised to find that not all of them are ridiculously dangerous.
Here are some popular dental hacks that you can try at home and some that you should definitely avoid:
1. Don’t Use a Nail File to Shape Your Teeth
Using a nail file on a chipped or jagged tooth might seem like a good idea, but filing your teeth can cause serious damage to its outer enamel covering. Doing so will cause your teeth to turn yellow, making them susceptible to staining. This can also expose the tooth’s nerve, causing extreme sensitivity and pain!
Filing away at your teeth can also shorten them, which can cause issues with your bite and require corrective treatments that may cost much more than if you had gone to a dental clinic in the first place to get your teeth fixed by a professional.
2. Do Make Your Own Toothpaste
While there are many kinds of toothpaste that are formulated specifically for the maintenance of healthy teeth, making your own toothpaste at home can be very beneficial when done the right way.
Be sure to consult with your dentist on the right ingredients to use, taking special care to avoid anything acidic or abrasive that can damage your teeth. Making your own toothpaste is beneficial because it’s a cost-effective product without any potentially dangerous chemicals.
3. Don’t Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Whiten Your Teeth
Teeth whitening in Waterford may be expensive, but this does not mean that you should ever attempt to whiten your teeth using raw hydrogen peroxide. While dentists also use bleach to whiten teeth professionally, doing this at home can cause unwanted effects, such as severe gum recession and permanent enamel damage.
Not knowing the hydrogen peroxide concentration being used poses an even greater risk! The best thing to do is search for affordable dentistry near you and leave your teeth whitening procedure to the professionals.
4. Don’t Make Your Own Braces
DIY braces are one of the riskiest at-home attempts at dentistry that is trending these days. Moving your teeth is not as simple as taking rubber bands to pull them together.
Dentists have undergone rigorous training for a reason, and it’s because realigning teeth is a much more complicated process that takes time and expertise to pull off. The movement of teeth also affects the surrounding gum and bones!
By attempting to straighten your teeth with DIY braces, you’re only setting yourself up for a whole lot of unnecessary pain and possibly even permanent tooth loss.
5. Do Improve Your At-Home Oral Care
Although the dentist can be a generally uncomfortable experience, the relief of using the water flosser at the end is something that many patients look forward to. This can be incorporated into an at-home oral routine as it can penetrate into teeth crevices better than regular floss can. Upgrading your toothbrush to a sonic one rather than an electric one can help eliminate even more bacteria on the teeth.
Conclusion
When it comes to dental treatments, nothing is as safe and as reliable as a professional dentist’s work. While DIY treatments aren’t always a bad idea, it’s best to be on the safe side when fiddling around with your teeth at home. Trends on social media can look very convincing but try to remember that they are typically sensationalized and done for views. Protect and maintain your teeth with the best dentist in your local area to keep your smile as healthy and bright as possible.
Are you looking for an affordable dentist in Waterford to take a look at your oral health? Here at the Dental House, we make sure to provide patients with a comfortable and safe environment for dental treatment. We bring our level of commitment and years of experience to produce quality treatments for your dental needs. Book an appointment with us today!
