DIY Dentistry: Why you Should Avoid it

DIY activities are all the rage these days, including, unfortunately, in the realm of oral health and dentistry. While yes, you can find almost anything online, it’s better to leave the care to the professionals.

DIY dentistry is something that is harmful, and does have severe consequences, especially with certain processes. While it might tempt you to try these, your oral health might end up worse. You know what they say, you should leave certain stuff to the professionals, and this is but one of them. 

Why Do DIY Dentistry? 

There’s a few obvious reasons for this.   First is the vast amount of information that’s online. You can google right now and learn that there are articles claiming apple cider vinegar will make your teeth whiter, or teach you how to make a bridge out of materials you have at home.

With the rising costs of how much everything is, a lot of times people don’t go to the dentist, so their oral health will suffer. Those without insurance may not be able to afford it either, which is why they try to use these methods.

The third is fear. So many are afraid of the dentist to the point where they will do anything but go see them. This, of course, includes trying stuff at home that you should be avoiding.   

DIY Whitening Treatments 

The most innocuous ones are the DIY dental treatments. At worst, they don’t work and make your teeth more sensitive. At best, they may brighten up your smile, but not by much. It’s better to go see your dentist and get a whitening treatment from them, rather than just put all of your faith in drinking some apple cider vinegar. 

Fillings and Gap Closings 

Two of the other more popular are the fillings and closing the gaps of teeth. Cavities happen due to the presence of bacteria, and some people may try to do DIY dental fillings at home. However, this is a problem. First and foremost, it’s not hygienic, so you’re putting the area at risk of infections. Sometimes it creates more sensitivity, and even gum disease as well. At worst, it causes tooth loss.

Closing gaps is another one.   You might try to make a bridge for your mouth using gap strips, but this is a problem. The ligaments that are along the tooth surfaces and gums move, and will damage the bones and soft tissues, so you’ll lose your teeth.   Gap strips also cause tooth infection, irritation, and damage to multiple structures. 

DIY Braces 

One a lot of people try to do is DIY braces and even aligners. These will damage the jaw. They’re not made for the mouth usually, and while you might think it’s a good solution, it doesn’t replace the professionals that received the training to get this on there.

It does cause the teeth to move quickly, which will damage the bones and other teeth. 

DIY Extractions 

Finally, there are DIY extractions. This is tying a string to the tooth and the doorknob.   While we saw this on TV, it can lead to infections and soft tissue damage. Some might use pliers for this, but again, it can cause infections and tooth cracks, which are painful and cost a lot.

You should try not to do any of these if you can. There's a reason why the professionals are so good at their job. Leaving it to them means that you’re able to get the results that you want, so make sure you let them do their job, and you keep your smile.