Dentists are warning parents that a new TikTok teeth whitening trend could cause permanent damage
Videos uploaded to the popular social media app show users using food grade hydrogen peroxide, purchased online, as a form of mouthwash for up to a minute.
Videos on TikTok with the hashtag #teethwhitening have been viewed 280 million times, with users recommending this method as an alternative to expensive over the counter products.
What have dental experts said?
Under UK law, teeth whitening products can be sold directly to the public only if they contain no more than 0.1 per cent hydrogen peroxide.
The post says, “Teenagers are buying bottles of food grade hydrogen peroxide from Amazon with the purpose of using it as a mouthwash to in effect bleach their teeth. This is far from safe.
“The solution they are buying is not for use in this way. It is highly toxic and dangerous and will cause severe pain and damage to both teeth and gums.”
Whitening your teeth is legal in the UK when performed by dentists or dental health professionals with appropriate products. Recipients must be 18 years or older.
Speaking to the BBC, The British Dental Association (BDA) said using the wrong products at home could cause “permanent damage.”
A representative continued by saying, “The BDA is concerned about the DIY trend to whiten teeth with levels of hydrogen peroxide that are higher than that permitted in over-the-counter products.
"Using higher concentrations unsupervised, as some videos advocate, raises the risk of damage to teeth and gums, including burns to the mouth, tooth and gum sensitivity, as well as irritated or inflamed gums."
Other dangerous TikTok trends
This dental scare comes after dermatology experts urged TikTok users against trying other potentially harmful beauty trends.
These have included scraping off moles at home by using chemicals, and using eyelash glue to make lips appear bigger.
Dr Ross Perrt, an NHS GP and medical director of Cosmedics skin clinic, said the removal of moles “needs to be done by a qualified doctor or dermatologist.”
He stressed, "Using chemicals or attempting to 'scrape' off a mole could lead to infections, bleeding, scarring and deformity of the area."
Wataalamu wa meno wa Marekani wamewaonya wazazi kuwa mbinu mpya ya TikTok ya kupiga rangi meno inaweza kusababisha uharibifu wa kudumu, na video zilizopakiwa kwenye mtandao huo wa kijamii zinaonyesha watumiaji wakitumia maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji. Video za TikTok zenye hashtag #toothwhitening zimeonekana mara milioni 280, na watumiaji wanapendekeza njia hii kama mbadala wa bidhaa za bei ghali. Wataalamu wa meno wanasemaje? Kwa mujibu wa sheria ya Uingereza, bidhaa za kupiga rangi meno zinaweza kuuzwa moja kwa moja kwa umma ikiwa hazina zaidi ya asilimia 0.1 ya peroksidi ya hidrojeni. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Wavulana wanunua chupa za peroksidi ya hidrojeni kutoka Amazon kwa kusudi la kuitumia kama maji ya kuosha mdomo ili kugeuza meno yao kuwa nyeupe.""" Hilo si jambo la usalama hata kidogo. <unk>Suluhisho wanalonunua si kwa ajili ya matumizi kwa njia hii. Ni hatari sana na inaweza kusababisha maumivu makali na uharibifu wa meno na nywele.Kupaka meno yako rangi nyeupe ni halali nchini Uingereza wakati unafanywa na madaktari wa meno au wataalamu wa afya ya meno na bidhaa zinazofaa. Mpokeaji lazima awe na umri wa miaka 18 au zaidi. "Kama ilivyoelezwa na BBC, shirika la British Dental Association (BDA) limesema kuwa kutumia bidhaa zisizo sahihi nyumbani kunaweza kusababisha ""uharibifu wa kudumu,"" na pia limesema kuwa ""BDA ina wasiwasi juu ya mwenendo wa kufanya meno kuwa meupe kwa viwango vya peroksidi ya hidrojeni ambavyo ni vya juu kuliko vile vinavyoruhusiwa katika bidhaa za kawaida.""" "Kutumia viwango vya juu bila uangalizi, kama vile video fulani zinavyopendekeza, huongeza hatari ya kuharibu meno na nywele, kutia ndani kuchoma mdomo, hisi ya meno na nywele, na pia nywele zilizosumbuliwa au kuwaka.""" Mwelekeo huu wa meno unakuja baada ya wataalamu wa dermatolojia kuwaomba watumiaji wa TikTok dhidi ya kujaribu mwenendo mwingine wa urembo wenye hatari. Hizi zimetia ndani kuondoa alama za uzazi nyumbani kwa kutumia kemikali, na kutumia gundi ya nywele ili kufanya midomo ionekane kuwa kubwa zaidi. "Daktari Ross Perr, ambaye ni mkurugenzi wa matibabu wa kliniki ya ngozi ya Cosmetics, alisema: ""Uondoaji wa moles unahitaji kufanywa na daktari au mtaalamu wa ngozi aliye na sifa, kutumia kemikali au kujaribu ""kuondoa"" mole inaweza kusababisha maambukizo, kutokwa na damu, makovu na kasoro ya eneo hilo."