Trends in the health and beauty industries come and go, and they are often made more popular through social media. While some of them are relatively harmless, like dyeing your hair pink or making your own kombucha, others can be extremely harmful, not to mention irreversible. One of the latest trends to circulate is teeth filing. Sounds bad? That’s because it is.
What is the Teeth Filing TikTok Trend?
This terrible trend started making the rounds on the social media platform, Tik Tok, and it’s just as bad as it sounds. Tik Tok users have been filming themselves using nail files to file down the little bumps and ridges on the bottom edges of their teeth. As a result, viewers of these videos are taking a nail file to their teeth, too, in an attempt to level out uneven teeth and promote a more streamlined, polished appearance and more attractive smile.
Shuddering just thinking about sticking a nail file in your mouth? You’re not alone.
Dentists and other oral health professionals have been horrified by the emergence of this incredibly risky trend. Not only is filing your own teeth just plain bad for oral hygiene, but you could also cause significant and permanent damage to your teeth.
There are no bones about it (pun intended)…the dangers of filing your teeth are numerous, and you should simply NOT try this trend at home.
Why Is Teeth Filing a Bad Idea?
There are a variety of problems that can come with filing your own teeth.
- The first thing to remember is that your permanent teeth are meant to last you a lifetime.
- Taking chances with your teeth is very different from taking chances with your hair or your nails. A bad haircut is no big deal. Your hair will grow out and the problem is solved. If you damage your teeth, that damage is permanent. You’ll have to see your dentist to try to have it repaired, and a repair is A) not always possible and B) never quite as good as the original healthy tooth, even if it is possible.
- While DIY tooth filing could eliminate some bumps, those bumps you’re removing are your tooth’s enamel. The enamel on your teeth is what makes them look white and lustrous, but more importantly, it protects the inner layers of your teeth. The thin top layer of enamel helps enclose your teeth’s dentin, which is responsible for communicating sensation, and the pulp, which is the living tissue that holds the tooth’s nerves. If you damage that essential protective layer of enamel, there are a variety of consequences.
What Are the Consequences of DIY Tooth Filing?
Once your enamel is gone, it’s gone forever. That means that your teeth could not only look yellower and less shiny as your dentin is revealed, but they’ll be much more vulnerable, too.
When your enamel is damaged or filed off, that puts your teeth at greater risk for sensitivity, fractures, and cavities.
Even thinning your enamel can cause sensitivity and make your teeth more prone to decay. However, filing your teeth with a nail file could go all the way through your enamel, revealing your dentin. When your dentin is exposed, it causes significant sensitivity, making consuming both hot and cold food and beverages downright painful.
Filing deep enough could even cause nerve damage. In the end, you could end up needing fillings, crowns, veneers, and even root canals to repair the damage. Ouch. That hurts not just your teeth…but also your wallet!
In addition, once you’ve filled a tooth down, that tooth is now shorter than the others next to it. It might look even now, but if your teeth move around, as most teeth do over time, that tooth is permanently shorter.
If you thought you were unhappy with the way your teeth looked before, having random short teeth is really going to make you unhappy.
In short, no matter what the reason for being tempted by tooth filing, the dangers just aren’t worth it. If you want help with the look of your teeth, you need a professional. The cost of a minor cosmetic fix is likely to be a lot less expensive than the cost of fixing the damage you could do with a nail file.
The Safer Way to Even Out Imperfections in Your Teeth
Some Tik Tok users who have participated in this trend now regret the decision to file their own teeth. They are reporting new problems as a result of the filing, including painful sensitivity. Over time, the problems will only get worse from there. So what’s the best way to address insecurities about uneven teeth or particularly bumpy edges?
If you are truly feeling self-conscious about uneven teeth, the bumps on the edges of your teeth, or chips in your teeth, see your dentist to talk about solutions. They can use their professional expertise to choose the best method for addressing your concerns.
What’s the Difference Between DIY Teeth Filing and Enameloplasty?
In some cases, your dentist can very carefully remove the smallest amounts of enamel in a procedure called enameloplasty. This can allow them to smooth unsightly bumps or shallow chips.
But wait! You might wonder why a dentist can effectively file teeth when we’re saying that you never should. The most important reason is that when a dental professional performs enameloplasty they use extremely specialized dental tools to do so. What’s more, they don’t just “eyeball” how much enamel to remove. They actually take x-rays to understand just how much enamel you have and whether the procedure is even safe to perform in the first place. Then, even if it is, they used magnified lenses to ensure they don’t do permanent damage that they can’t undo.
As a result, if you’re seeking imperfection removal, consulting your dentist about enameloplasty is usually it’s good choice.
Lastly, some tooth issues, like deeper chips or uneven teeth, may need to be resolved with fillings or even veneers rather than enameloplasty. Therefore it’s unwise to self-diagnose when the issue you’re facing might require different treatment methods than you think.
Key Takeaway: The most important thing to know here is that a dental professional can help you choose the right solution for your teeth and perform any dental work safely and correctly!
Teeth Filing As a Cultural Practice vs. TikTok Teeth Filing
At The Super Dentists, we respect the rich cultural traditions around the world, including tooth filing and tooth modification. In many communities, these practices carry important symbolic, aesthetic, or social meaning that goes beyond social media trends.
As one source notes, however, these practices can, at times, “raise ethical and legal issues”, especially if performed by someone inexperienced. As this source also notes, risks may include everything from transmission of infectious diseases to excessive bleeding to infection or even death, often from sepsis.
By comparison, the recent TikTok teeth filing trend, where individuals take to using nail files or other household tools that are often unsanitary (ESPECIALLY if nail files have been previously used on fingernails) is pretty much always unsafe. While there’s the chance that ritualistic teeth filing may be performed by professionals, DIY teeth filing is, by definition, performed by laypeople, which makes it incredibly risky.
Enamel Wear: The Real Concern with Teeth Filing
Any time you wear away enamel, you risk doing permanent damage to your teeth. This is as true for dental filing as it is for things like brushing your teeth too hard, by the way!
Moreover, Dental experts like Dr. Kami Hoss should always be the ones to perform work on your teeth. You should never attempt to do any DIY dental work, period. It’srisky at best and could be hazardous to your oral health, and even cause permanent damage at worst.
Want to Improve Your Smile? Trust the Super Dentists!
Need teeth repair in California? Trust the medical professionals at The Super Dentists.
Sources:
https://drkamihoss.com/the-diy-tiktok-trend-of-teeth-filing-is-horrifying-dentists/
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/09/10032882/tiktok-teeth-filing-trend
https://www.today.com/health/concerning-trend-tiktok-filing-your-own-teeth-t193464
https://www.insider.com/tiktok-users-shaving-teeth-nail-files-dentists-concerned-2020-9
