With all the misinformation floating around online, it’s easy to end up trying the wrong oral healthcare tip. However, these dental fads can be ineffective at best or harmful at worst. If you want to protect your oral health, you need to know all about the most important dental fads to avoid.
Charcoal Toothpaste
A quick glance at social media shows countless influencers promoting charcoal as a natural way to brighten your smile. Does this sound too good to be true? It probably is. Research shows that toothpaste with activated charcoal had no effect on tooth whiteness. In fact, charcoal harms more than it helps. Test subjects had greatly increased surface roughness, and this microscopic damage to the tooth enamel can lead to more cavities. If you want to brighten your teeth without damaging surface enamel, the best way to do it is to visit Downtown Austin Toothbar for professional care.
DIY Orthodontics
Another concerning trend has been the increasing number of websites claiming to offer custom dental aligners to fix crooked teeth. These sites say you can send them a picture or a mold of your teeth and they’ll send you back clear aligners to straighten your teeth.
This might sound easy and cheap, but the American Association of Orthodontists recommends against it. Not only do most of these sites neglect essential steps like X-rays, but many of them aren’t even licensed medical institutions. Not only are these treatments painful, but they can also do permanent damage to your teeth and jaws.
Tooth Scrubs With Lemon Juice
When you’re looking for at-home ways to whiten teeth, you’ll probably come across several websites saying that lemon juice is the best way to do it. Technically speaking, lemon juice is a great cleaner. However, despite what promoters of the trend say, it’s too strong for teeth. A 2015 study found that lemon juice erodes tooth enamel far more quickly than sugary sodas or juices. The acidity of the lemon juice literally dissolves your enamel, leaving you with uneven, browning teeth that are more at risk for cavities. Instead of brightening your smile, you might end up needing to visit an Austin cosmetic dentist for veneers or even crowns.
Don’t let social media trends trick you into damaging your teeth. Instead, turn to the experts you can trust. Toothbar provides professional assistance with all sorts of dental needs. Whether you need a simple cleaning or need to reverse previous damage, our team is here to help. We offer a broad range of preventive dentistry and Austin cosmetic dentist services. Schedule an appointment at our downtown Austin office now to get started. Call: 512-949-8202
Dr. Kimberley Barclay
Co-founder and owner Dr. Kimberley Barclay is actively involved in local and national dental societies, including the Capital Area Dental Society and Spear Education courses on cosmetic dentistry. She is also a member of the Seattle Study Club, one of the most advanced education groups for dental professionals.
