The growing trend of DIY braces is becoming a concern for many dentists. Various videos circulating on social media platforms show impressionable teenagers damaging their oral cavities by creating and installing homemade braces.
Just like eating Tide pods, this isn’t a wise idea.
While these may seem easy fixes to cover the gaps between teeth, they can pose serious risks for your teeth as well as your overall health. Let’s look at why DIY braces made of fishing lines, paper clips, and rubber bands can be detrimental for your oral cavity:
They can cause infections
The bacteria from the materials used to make braces at home can cause abrasions in your gums and lead to infections. They can prompt gum bleeding, swelling, and redness and cause diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.
And they don’t stop there; the gum and jaw damage caused by DIY braces can also cause infections in other parts of your body, such as the heart, liver, and stomach, and put you at risk of failing health.
They can lead to tooth sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity can make the process of brushing, eating, and drinking highly painful. When you wrap things like rubbers and metal clippings around your teeth, you risk damaging the tooth enamel, making it more prone to wear and tear.
This can, in turn, increase the chances of tooth sensitivity and may even expose the roots of your teeth.
They can cause tooth loss
Only a professional orthodontist has the expertise to install braces correctly in a mouth. Dental braces are customized according to the mouth that they’re going to be placed in. These are created with high-grade medical equipment that has been sterilized and deemed safe for teeth.
DIY braces, on the other hand, are not safe, as they can’t be installed professionally. This puts your teeth at a high risk of chipping, falling, and misaligning.
A video on YouTube with thousands of views suggests that wrapping a rubber band around your teeth may ‘be painful at first,’ but once you get through the initial pain, it will ‘get better and is totally worth it.’
Ask any dentist, and they’ll advise you against using such tactics as they can lead to severe problems in your mouth.
Treat your teeth better with professional orthodontics
Because DIY braces are cheap, they may seem like a good idea to people who want to save some money by avoiding professional treatments. However, the damage caused by these DIY fixes in your mouth can lead to more expensive dental repairs.
The smart way to deal with the misaligned teeth in your mouth is by visiting our clinic in Woodland Hills to get personalized dental care and treatment.
At West Hills Smiles, we offer dental implants and teeth whitening treatments at affordable rates!
Call us at 818-346-4303 for more information!
