Various bloggers on the internet advise unconventional methods to make teeth beautifully white and shiny. There is talk of baking powder, lemon juice and many other questionable remedies. Also popular: sexy mouth jewelry such as piercings and diamonds in teeth. Doctors are now sounding the alarm - these trends are damaging teeth!

Baking soda treatment

You can't do anything worse to your teeth: The sodium bicarbonate in baking soda abrades tooth enamel. The teeth are indeed whiter at first. But after a few applications, the enamel is gone and the yellowish dentin underneath emerges. Without protective enamel, bacteria have an easy time of it.

Tongue piercing

When speaking and chewing, the metal constantly strikes the teeth. This causes irreparable cracks in the enamel over time. Sensitivity to cold and heat, irritation of the dental nerve and tooth decay are the consequences. Ceramic dentures are quickly damaged and are not recommended for tongue piercings.

Tooth jewelry

Small glittering stones on the front incisors may look nice - but they have side effects. Even if the stones are professionally glued on by a dentist, the enamel can chip off when you eat if you bite down awkwardly. And because the dental jewelry is an obstacle on the enamel, it becomes more difficult to brush your teeth thoroughly. This increases the risk of tooth decay and the risk of periodontitis.

Salt & citrus bleaching

It is recommended to mix lemon juice and salt into a paste and then brush your teeth with it. This mixture also literally etches away the protective enamel. The same applies to the recommendation to scrub the teeth lighter with vinegar. If you really want brighter teeth, you should have this done by a dentist - that's for sure.