Warrnambool dentist warns against 'alternative' dental practices to mark Dental Health Week

While it may be hard to resist the urge to jump on board with these trending phenomenons, Warrnambool oral health therapist Meg Lumsden set the record straight to mark Dental Health Week.

"I'll start off by saying your teeth, you have for life. You only get one set of them so it's important to take care of them," she said.

"The best way to take care of them is to ensure that the strength and integrity are in your teeth.

"Where the problem is that anyone can advertise anything on social media platforms.

"When you visit a medical professional or dental practitioner, any treatment we do has extensive study and research behind it to prove that it is safe for patients. They are then also approved by the Australian Dental Association (ADA).

"Any platform advertising teeth whitening, or charcoal toothpaste for instance - any Joe Blow can do that."

She said there were a number of risks associated with using products that were not approved by ADA.

"The risks include the concentrations of the products and the application methods; when you go to the dentist there are follow up treatment procedures in place, and problem solving if anything goes wrong," she said.

"There's never that follow up care and expertise if you go through those online platforms.

"There are products out there that are effective in use, but they should be approved by your dental practitioner prior to use just to be completely safe.

"Anyone can make a whitening product, sell it and say it's fine."

With the proliferation of teeth-whitening kits bolstered by the increasing pull of 'Instagram influencers', Ms Lumsden warns people to do their research before buying into clever marketing tactics.

"The best information is for people to do their research, everybody's mouths are different," she said.

"Ensure your mouth is in the best bill of health before applying any sort of chemical to your mouth. If you have any open cavities or untreated dental pathology it can be detrimental to your oral health.

"They can cause the nerve in the tooth to die causing blackening of the tooth, and a really common one is chemical burns to the gums.

"Then obviously there's ingestion of the product - a lot of their sample kits come with a one size fits all mould, and as you are aware all mouths are very different.

"There can be a lot of spillage and ingesting of the product if it's not fitted properly, and ingesting hydrogen peroxide is not ideal.

"We've had people coming in who have tried a whitening product who have severe sensitivity post to the whitening.

"Unfortunately in some cases it's irreversible and there's not a lot we can do aside from a root canal or have the tooth removed, that's in severe circumstances.

"If people are trying to whiten their front teeth and they have to get a tooth at the front removed it can be very upsetting for people."

When it comes to alternative toothpastes like charcoal and herbal pastes, Ms Lumsden said people should keep Australian dental standards in mind.

"With charcoal toothpaste as far as I'm aware there are no studies completed by the Australian Dental Association to say whether these effects are useful for your tooth health," she said.

"Everyone is entitled to their personal choice when it comes to toothpaste, but all studies show that any toothpaste with fluoride is going to be beneficial to prevent dental decay.

"We see that quite commonly with people who live on farms on rain water who don't get exposed to fluoride in their water.

"We can see dental decay is at a higher rate than someone who is using fluoride toothpaste and water."

When it comes to brushing your teeth, it's all about the right brush and technique, as Ms Lumsden explains.

"Always use a soft toothbrush using a gentle, circular motion," she said.

"Brush for two to three minutes, twice a day and use floss to clean between the teeth at least once a day.

"Electrical toothbrushes come into that bracket, they have a soft head and brush in a circular motion.

"They can be beneficial for those who struggle with things like arthritis or motion."

Her final word of advice for anyone looking to try an alternative product is to check with their dentist.

"If anyone is concerned about anything or have a product they would like to try, cross check it with your dental practitioner to that irreversible damage does not occur."

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