Tooth Trends Going Viral This Holiday Season

The Incisor looks at some of this holiday season's viral fads – good and bad.

By Susan Richards

As we approach the holiday season, there’s much to appreciate and celebrate. Dental practices continue to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, and people everywhere are achieving bright new smiles thanks to the latest video they saw on the internet––Wait, what?!

Patients with aspirations of good oral health combined with an Instagram-worthy smile are a dentist’s dream, but they may be distracted by ill-advised viral content that will cost them money – or teeth. Conversely, trends and toys are always hitting the market that will inspire good hygiene and have the dentist’s seal of approval. The Incisor looks at some of this season’s fads, both good and bad.

Shortcuts and Shiny Trends

No dentist wants to discover their patient has done damage to their teeth by trying the latest internet challenge to look good for this year’s family gathering, but social media continues to be a source for those seeking shortcuts in oral care.

Tinsel teeth may be more than a middle school taunt as the popularity of bling, grills or colored polish sees a resurgence. However, while some of these adornments are safe, the videos demonstrating how to drill or repair one’s teeth or where to buy “DIY Hip Hop Grillz” for $10.99, are decidedly not.

Common sense and good preventative care are always advisable, but when people have better access to the web than they do dental insurance, poor choices may follow. Social media dentistry, on the whole, is seldom a good idea, and the fact that the hashtag #DIYdentist has 2.6 million views on TikTok doesn’t bode well for legitimate dentistry.

Another of the latest video trends is fortunately harmless – as long as patients remain spectators. Close-up TikTok videos of dentists performing teeth scaling have become a new viewing obsession along the lines of pimple-popping. While heavy-duty plaque removal may not be recommended for the squeamish, it could encourage some patients to step up their home oral hygiene care and avoid the scaling at the dentist’s office.

Holiday Smiles Come in Packages of All Sizes

There are also good tidings this holiday season for those seeking aesthetically pleasing smiles, and for those who provide them. Advances in technology and dental materials mean more options than ever before for healthy choppers and smiles to be proud of.

Crowns, tooth bonding, and implants have all seen improvements in materials for a more natural look, and thanks to 3D dentistry there’s the ability to create some of these products while the patient is in the chair.

The market for clear aligners continues to expand, allowing patients to achieve the smile of their dreams, without the stigma and expense of braces.

While some of these may be considered big-ticket items, there are always new dental care trends in the stocking stuffer range. In addition to high-tech electric toothbrushes and other luxury oral healthcare baubles, the market for at-home teeth whitening includes everything from paste to pens to light technology.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the gift that continues to give: Education. A well-trained dentist and team that increases their skill set can offer more services, grow their practice, and ultimately help more patients maintain their smiles this holiday season and beyond. See you in 2023?

Author: Susan Richards is a staff writer at DOCS Education. With over 20 years of experience in local journalism and business marketing, Susan’s career includes award-winning feature writing, as well as creating content with context for a wide variety of industries.

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