From homemade orthodontic gums to teeth whitening with La Palma ash... the harmful tips for TikTok's teeth

The new encyclopedia of generation Z is called

The application with millions of users has become

for young people and a double-edged sword for health.

on the

(a perfect algorithm that adjusts to the tastes of each user), but despite algorithmic precision, cracks appear that endanger life, as is the case with Archie Battersbee and the

.

Now, the turn of dental gums has come to decorate the teeth or to perform home orthodontics.

Videos have been uploaded by numerous

using elastics to remove gaps between teeth, and yes, it does seem to work, but is it risk-free?

The answer is no

We start from the basis that "

president of the General Council of Dentists of Spain (CGDE).

It is true that there is a change in the position of the tooth, but it will not last.

"To move a tooth there must be a destruction of bone -in the position in which it was- and

so that it is fixed in this way", explains the maximum representative of Spanish dentists.

The teeth are in a hole (alveolus) inside the jaws, whether they are lower or upper, so

adds.

For such maneuvers, the specialists will apply small and constant forces, "if you move the tooth for hours, it can remain a nuisance; if you do it for days, you can have irreversible bone destruction that even ends with the loss of the piece" Castro emphasizes.

But, the loss of the tooth is not the only contraindication of these 'handyman of orthodontics'.

"In addition to acting from ignorance, the

with which they operate are zero," explains the specialist.

"You are touching a site where there is mucosa and if it is not done aseptically, these manipulations can lead to secondary infections," he adds.

Not everything is the fault of

or the rest of the platforms, the specialists focus on the human being.

," says Castro.

"These performances show that people are very unoccupied, that they are less and less aware of their being and more when health should be the most precious asset," he explains.

The construction of a society in which aesthetics reigns,

, emphasizes the specialist.

That "wanting to be to others" makes everything worth a

, which is why specialists have spent years denying challenges that are sold as effective as well as economic on these platforms.

The false aesthetic promises of TIKTOK

The place that gummies occupy today in the teeth, yesterday already did the

"Thousands of videos assure that with the mixture of

the enamel of the tooth could drop up to eight shades", says the president of the CGDE.

"The combination of citric acid with the bicarbonate abrasive powder is equivalent to hitting the tooth with sandpaper," explains the dentist.

The problem of this ointment is not limited to the enamel but also to the appearance of caries.

"These holes

as is believed. Rather, the sweet is transformed into acid thanks to the bacteria in the mouth and that acid is what causes cavities," explains the dentist.

Although these whitening mixes are not limited to pantry products.

"During the La Palma volcano they tried to sell the ash as toothpaste.

We went from using the pumice stone on the calluses of the feet to putting it on the teeth," says the expert.

Yes, it works, but "we go back to sandpaper. It removes the stain from the tooth at the cost of damaging the integrity of the entire piece," he points out.

Even out the teeth with a nail file

's pseudo-dentists

never cease to amaze specialists.

The list of self-treatments continues the trend of equalizing the length of the teeth with a nail file.

"The dental anatomy establishes that the incisors have the same length as the canines and the lateral ones are shorter. Modifying it, and more so at home, is outrageous since all the enamel that wears out does not regenerate again, therefore they

of that dental piece", declares Castro.

Exerciser for a manly jaw

It is followed by the jaw exerciser to

and thus "increase manhood", he describes.

We cannot compare the temporal-mandibular joint with a biceps.

"There are known cases of people who have performed this exercise and have ended up damaging the joint to the point of hypertrophy and requiring surgical intervention," says the specialist.

And so the pulse between aesthetic self-modifications and the health of the individual continues.

, so they end up clicking on any link that promises a change at low cost.

"We have also been able to see it with the

", details Castro.

The Committee of Dentists of Spain before the Spanish Medicines Agency (AEMPS) has roundly condemned invisible orthodontics carried out by new companies lacking an exact location.

In these cases, "there are those who offer an oral service in which

accompanied by the promise that it will modify his smile", he details.

But, where is the advice of the specialist, where is the monitoring or intervention in case of future discomfort.

, she adds.

So that the doctor does not intervene at any time in the process.

"But, if no one dares to remove an appendix at home, why do they do it with orthodontic treatment?", emphasizes the specialist.

In the end, customers think that if they sell it, it's because it's allowed and not,

that's the difference," Castro concludes.

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