The Rise of “Advanced” DIY Dentistry
- Details
- Published: Friday, 28 July 2023 10:41
- Written by Peter Ingle
- Hits: 1685
GDPUK readers are familiar with DIY dentistry stories, usually involving exodontia and pliers, sometimes with the addition of premedication from the off licence.
A recent feature in the Independent, shows that it is not just patients at the end of their tether, and in dire pain, who are resorting to self-administered treatment. Just how widespread the DIY approach has become is underlined by the story being run in the Independents aspirational lifestyle section, home also to features on pet parties, exotic holiday locations, celebrity news, and sponsored content from premium brands.
According to a recent survey there has been a 116% increase in DIY cosmetic dentistry over the last five years. Social media is considered one of the key factors behind this with TikTok “hacks” being a common theme. Of those trying at-home treatments, 20% had done so with whitening kits, 13% had used “plaque scraping gadgets,” and 10% had purchased aligners online.
The survey which involved over 2000 UK consumers was carried out on behalf of Bupa Dental Care by Censuswide. Some of the TikTok inspired treatments involved home-made whitening gels using peroxide. As BUPA pointed out, if not used correctly, these could cause significant damage.
“DIY dental treatment can seem like a big cost saving initially,” Chris Hanford, a Bupa Dental Care dentist, said: “However, such treatment can cause irreversible damage that can not only lead to pain but end up being more complex and costly to fix.”
He went on to add that apart from the lack of professional prescription or supervision there was a risk of buying counterfeit products. A survey respondent was quoted, saying: “It doesn’t last and constantly costs more money on top of what has already been paid.”
Dr Safa Al-Naher, principal dentist at Serene Dental in Knightsbridge said that he was, “very worried and concerned” about the rise in at-home cosmetic dentistry. He also recognised the initial appeal of such treatments to consumers: “The marketing for online braces – clear and called aligners – is really good. It’s also a really attractive prospect to people who want a quick fix. This is the day and age of Amazon, it’s one click and you get it.”
There is more at stake than the cost of these treatments with the research finding that 74% of people who had tried DIY dentistry had then needed emergency treatment to fix their issues.
“Any at-home teeth-whitening can cause damage to tooth enamel, give rise to tooth decay, as well as gum and tooth sensitivity – particularly if they’re used too frequently. Poorly planned or ill-fitting braces can cause anything from wobbly teeth or gum recession to damaged bone,” Chris Hanford explained. Bearing this out, one in six people out of the group reported that they now had problems following their foray into DIY dental treatments.
You need to be logged in to leave comments.
Report