Dangerous TikTok dental trends you need to avoid

5 August 2022

Emeritus Professor Laurie Walsh and Associate Professor Arosha Weerakoon from UQ's School of Dentistry spoke to The House of Wellness about the dangers of some DIY dentistry trends promoted on TikTok.

From DIY whitening to homemade braces the latest craze of DIY dental work can be harmful for health and experts are sounding the alarm.

Some TikTokers are trying to straighten their teeth by wrapping rubber bands and hair ties around them.

Emeritus professor Laurie Walsh has seen patients who have done “massive damage” to their mouth by attempting such practices.

“In the cases that I’ve seen, it’s actually led to complete loss of bone around those teeth, where the teeth have basically fallen out, which is an enormously high price to pay,” Professor Walsh says.

People may seek DIY dental treatment because they fear the cost of dentistry or have dental anxiety, which affects about one in six Australian adults and one in 10 children.

Dr Weerakoon says those who are scared of spending a lot of money should book a consultation with a professional first as this won’t be overly expensive.

“I think most people underestimate or overestimate the cost of, say, just a check-up or a consultation, which is really not much in the scheme of things.”

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