The Dental Trends to Leave Behind in 2023

Purple & Charcoal Toothpastes - Charcoal toothpastes have been on the market for a few years now with the claim that they can help make teeth brighter/whiter. Sadly this is all a marketing gimmick and often they don’t even contain fluoride which is terrible for your teeth. Purple toothpastes have soared in popularity this past year and while they can have an immediate effect, as soon as you eat/drink/go about your daily life, the effects subside immediately. The hair toning analogy is often applied her, but sadly you cannot colour-correct teeth with purple pigment. 

 

Morning Hot Lemon Water & Apple Cider Rinse - Another popular trend from a ‘detoxing’ perspective is to sip hot lemon water first thing in the morning. Unfortunately hot acidic water on your teeth is actually incredibly damaging to your tooth enamel and I’d personally advise against it. It’s for the same reason why I don’t advocate the similar apple cider vinegar trend that involves swishing the vinegar around your mouth first thing in the morning. 

 

Online Brace Companies - Any teeth straightening service that offers you treatments without seeing a dentist first is a big red flag for me. While the convenience of remote consultations may seem appealing, it cannot replace the expertise of an in-person dental examination. A thorough dental evaluation allows dentists to identify underlying issues that may affect orthodontic treatment decisions, such as gum disease, cavities, or bite irregularities. Online assessments, in contrast, often rely solely on photographs or digital impressions, leaving potential problems undetected. 

 

Playing Dentist at Home - TikTok has been awash with people showing themselves doing dental treatments at home (Google DIY teeth scaling on there for some shocking videos) that should only be done with your dentist in a professional setting. On amazon you can even find kits that contain cheap dental tools (such as tartar remover scrapers). This is incredibly dangerous and could lead to serious health complications.