Dentist warns against DIY oral health trends

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — It can be tempting to follow “do-it-yourself” hacks surrounding everything from beauty tips to cleaning cures, but one dentist warns you to stop and think before tackling anything tooth-related.

Dr. Elizabeth Grace Walton, a dentist at Risas Kids Dental said trends online concerning quick fixes to oral health issues are alarming.

With whitening a top priority for some, she’s heard of people using a mixture of banana peel, salt and lemon juice on their teeth.

“Those are some, some kinds of odd things. You don’t want to put anything so abrasive on your teeth. The products that dentists would use have been tested to make sure that we don’t damage your enamel, for instance, or make your teeth any more sensitive while you’re getting nicer and whiter teeth,” she explained.

Another concerning trend, she said, is using a miswak stick on your teeth.

Dr. Walton added, “some of the things that I see, like when you’re talking about the home remedies, for instance, they are probably the traditional ways that things used to be done, but thanks to science, we’ve kind of progressed beyond that, and now we can do things that we know are safe, we know that are going to be clean, we’re not going to have to be using anything that’s ever been touched by pesticides, for instance, and that will keep you safer.”

Something she said you should never try at home is gum contouring.

“Gum contouring is something that will kind of just reshape the way your gums appear on your teeth, right at the top. And that can be done in conjunction with some cosmetic dentistry,” Dr. Walton explained.

“That’s a surgery, you know, that needs to be done in a complete clean or sterile environment. We can’t really have sterile because our mouths are not sterile. There’s a lot of potential for infection if you’re not healthy, there’s a lot of potential for too much bleeding to be taking place. That’s something that you really need to see your dentist and maybe a periodontist for that.”

Dr. Walton advises looking into the credentials of those whose advice you’re considering. You want to look for affiliation with the American Dental Association or a dental degree.

She said Wednesday, “I hate to tell you, but there is just really no substitute for seeing the dentist regularly. If it sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. If there was some miracle cure, your dentist would be telling you about it. You just have to go see your dentist. You need to see your hygienist.”