When a life hack or trend goes viral, it’s tempting to try it out! Especially if it keeps showing up on your social media feed. However, it’s not entirely wise to try out every hack you come across, even if it does promise something desirable like a whiter smile.
Have you come across teeth whitening tricks promoted on TikTok? In this post, our team at Gastonia Family Dentistry weigh in on whether these “hacks” are harmful or beneficial:
- Natural Teeth Whitening
- Hydrogen Peroxide Rinse
- Oil Pulling
- Flossing with Toothpaste
There are some ingredients, like baking soda and lemon juice, that you can find in your kitchen that may offer mild stain removal from your teeth. But these ingredients also have the potential to erode enamel and make your teeth more yellow and sensitive.
Though hydrogen peroxide is an ingredient in many professional teeth whitening products, we don’t recommend applying it directly to your teeth. Concentrated hydrogen peroxide can cause damage to the soft tissue of your mouth and the digestive tract.
Oil pulling involves swishing coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, or sunflower oil between your teeth for 20 minutes then spitting it out. While this is unlikely to cause harm to your teeth and gums, there are no reliable studies to prove this technique whitens your teeth.
Although using fluoridated toothpaste on floss can’t whiten your teeth, it can help fortify your teeth against decay. Floss can help work toothpaste into hard-to-reach areas so the fluoride can be absorbed into weakened areas of your enamel.
Professional Teeth Whitening in Gastonia, NC
Before trying any dental-related hacks that you see on TikTok, consult with our team at Gastonia Family Dentistry. We offer preventive and cosmetic dental services that can whiten your teeth safely and effectively. Please contact us today to schedule an appointment!