The Dangers of DIY Dentistry

08 / 08 / 2018

The Dangers of DIY Dentistry

However Tempting It Might Be, Don’t Do It!

Whether it is connected to the cost of dental treatment, a fear of seeing a dentist or simply the wider availability of ‘information’ on the internet, it seems that some people are choosing to attempt to treat their own dental issues.

Although we do encourage our Ipswich patients to take responsibility for their oral health care, when it comes to treatments, they are most definitely best left to the professionals!

Below, we take a look at some of the most common DIY dental treatments that patients of the Lighthouse Dental Practice may have come across on a certain video channel and beyond.

Teeth whitening

Although teeth whitening might seem like the most obvious cosmetic treatment that you could safely do yourself, it is worth reminding patients that even this seemingly straightforward treatment can go badly wrong. Whilst some ideas you may come across may not be too damaging (though totally ineffective), others may be anything but. Most DIY whitening treatments that will have any effect at all almost always use acids to ‘bleach’ the teeth. Even a natural acid such as lemon juice, a popular ingredient, is highly damaging to the enamel on our teeth and should be avoided.

DIY dental braces

Although instances of this have been relatively rare in the UK, this phenomenon really took off in the USA, with teenagers attempting to realign their teeth through a series of rubber bands attached to them. Not only would this be uncomfortable but completely lacks control, often making the situation even worse. In addition to this, teeth have to be straightened slowly and too much pressure, such as in this instance, could cause the teeth to become loose and unstable.

Tooth extraction

Yes, it may be amusing to see a child or adult have their tooth extracted in a novel way, such as via a rocket or other method, but this can be more damaging than people realise. When a dentist extracts a tooth they gently rock it from side to side in order to loosen it from the bone, before gently pulling it out. This minimises any damage to the bone and gums. A home extraction, where it is literally ripped from the socket, may cause significant damage to the bone and also painful gum damage.

Crown/veneer reattachment

We probably can’t blame the Internet for this one as dentists will have seen examples of this before that medium existed. Both dental crowns and veneers are attached to a prepared tooth using dental cement which is very strong and usually long-lasting. There are rare occasions however when these can become detached. Should this happen to you, please make an appointment for one of our Ipswich dentists to reattach it for you. Using a strong household adhesive may seem like a good idea, but most of these contain corrosive ingredients that will damage the natural tooth, leading to the crown or veneer no longer fitting correctly and potentially causing huge problems.

If you have any sort of dental problem, remember that we have had years of training to safely and effectively restore teeth. Taking a DIY approach can be both very risky and very painful, so if you need an appointment at the Lighthouse Dental Practice, please call us on 01473 257 379.

We are here to help you.
If you would like to speak to a member of our friendly team about any of the issues in this article please visit our contact page or call us on 01473 257379.