Social media has become one of the preferred showcases for brands. There, you can find recommendations about fashion, cooking, decoration, makeup, cleaning products, among many others. They are still paid advertising campaigns, so we have to have judgment from the consumer’s point of view. However, things change when the offered products relate to health, such as dental whitening. It has become fashionable both inside and outside social media to have extremely white teeth, which has led users to follow the advice of profiles that have nothing to do with oral health.
The La Victoria Clinic, through its profile on the social network TikTok, has highlighted the dangers of performing whitening treatments at home without the supervision of a professional and using hydrogen peroxide, the viral star product. The clinic warns against its use, explaining that it can cause irritation of the gums, tongue, and palate, enamel erosion, dental abrasion, and even irreversible damage such as sensitivity and chronic pain.
The La Victoria Clinic always recommends visiting a specialist when it comes to health-related matters. Focusing on teeth whitening, there are more options such as LED whitening or laser whitening. Whatever the preference, it is recommended to always consult a professional, and to be cautious of viral tips from social media, especially those related to health.
Viral trends on social media
We now normally see companies turn to social media as another advertising medium to make their products and services visible. But it doesn’t stop there; they also advertise through campaigns featuring content creators, which generates even greater influence on users. Fashion, beauty products, cooking recipes, decoration, and many other topics, whether liked or not, do not have greater significance. However, the problem arises when viral trends are related to health, as is the case with profiles that promote home hydrogen peroxide teeth whitening.
Teeth whitening at home
One of the latest viral trends is related to oral health and the dangers it can pose. It involves a teeth whitening method using hydrogen peroxide that can be done at home; you just need a cotton swab and hydrogen peroxide. The evident problem is that this is not a practice free of dangers, as unsupervised application by a specialist can cause irreversible damage. This is how they explain it at La Victoria Clinic, where they warn of dangers such as gum, tongue, and palate irritation, enamel wear, dental abrasion, and sensitivity.
These are the possible consequences of a bad procedure, including chronic pain due to the irreversibility of the damage. Furthermore, from La Victoria they explain that these procedures have adjustments based on the oral health of each patient, as well as the exposure time and the application techniques.
Consult a professional
Although it is common sense, it seems necessary to remind more than one person of the need to put themselves in the hands of a professional when intending to undergo procedures of this type. Clinica Victoria reminds that there are other types of procedures through which to achieve such results, such as LED light whitening. It is one of the most requested, least invasive, and with results starting from the first 3 sessions. Another alternative, although less requested, is laser whitening, which does not usually last over time.Whatever decision is made to achieve a whiter smile, it is recommended to consult a specialist and not to risk your oral health by following a trend from social media.
How is it possible that children think it’s a good idea to replicate this viral TikTok trend?