Dental Health Trends

Are you using any at home oral health trends? Are you uncertain if they are beneficial? Dr. Ramzi Matar of Winter Park Family Dentistry and Prosthodontics gives some insight on the effectiveness of three popular oral health trends.
Oil pulling is a common way to combat bad breath or gum disease. For this at-home regimen, you swish oil – typically coconut oil – in your mouth for 20 minutes, multiple times a day. While it may sound like an easy way to deal with these issues and avoid a trip to the dentist, it may not be worth your time. Dr. Matar believes you can manage your mouth in less time by doing a better job with brushing and flossing every day.
DIY braces are a new trend that is not recommended. These braces are being used in two ways: to create gaps, which are becoming popular because of celebrities with them, and also to fix crookedness. Dr. Matar says, “DIY Braces are dangerous and could definitely wreak havoc on the mouth.”
Recently, using activated charcoal to whiten teeth at home has become popular. When dental professionals whiten teeth, they use products containing hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which absorb into the teeth to whiten them completely. Activated charcoal acts as an abrasive material, whitening just the surface of the teeth, so it is not beneficial for the long run. At-home teeth whitening strips found at the grocery store are affordable, and Dr. Matar has seen results among his patients that use them.