New Yorkers Are Weighing TikTok Dental Hacks

There is a new study that says more than half of Gen Z are turning to TikTok and Instagram for dental advice. Even crazier? About 30% of them are actually trying what they see online. People are whitening their teeth with random kitchen ingredients and even DIY’ing their own braces. What could possibly go wrong?

Dentists Are Basically Screaming “Please Stop”

While the videos may look ok, dental experts are saying: please, for the love of molars, don’t try this at home. Many of these trends—like scrubbing your teeth with charcoal or using mail order aligners can cause some serious damage.

Young People Are Way More Into This Than Grandma

The generational gap is huge. Only about 13% of people over 65 say they’d even think about using social media for dental tips. Gen Z? Over half (53%) say they do it regularly. Whether it’s because they grew up online or just don’t want to deal with booking an appointment, they’re trying these DIY hacks. PLEASE STOP!

Feeling Self-Conscious? You’re Not Alone

Scrolling through a feed full of white, straight smiles can take a toll. 41% of people in the study say that social media makes them feel self-conscious about their teeth. The number goes up even more for people between 25 and 44. It’s no wonder people are rushing to try quick fixes to boost their confidence.

Guys Are Clicking “Follow.” Gals? Not So Much.

63% of men say they’re into social media dental tips, while 69% of women say they are not buying it. Maybe women are just more skeptical, or men really think lemon juice is a whitening solution.

Billions of Views, But Not Always Good Advice

The hashtag #Dentist has over 2.4 billion views. That’s a lot of people watching dental content. While some of it does come from actual professionals, a lot of it doesn’t. Just because someone has a ring light and a white coat doesn’t mean they know what they’re doing.

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Bottom Line: Your Teeth Deserve Better

Social media is great for recipes and dance trends, but when it comes to your teeth? It’s probably best to leave it to the pros. One bad hack could lead to a lot more time and money in the dentist’s chair, so PLEASE STOP!