TikTok trends have proven over and over again to be reckless, dangerous, and downright insane. Despite this, they continue. The latest of these is teeth-shaving, and it is causing devastating, long-lasting effects on teens’ teeth.

Wanting to have the perfect smile is nothing new, especially in the world of social media. The latest teeth-shaving trends have TikTok influencers flying to foreign countries to have what they say are veneers done on their teeth.

Of course, it must be tempting to achieve the “perfect smile” for very little cost – or even for free – but it could all come crashing down when they require dentures by the age of 40, dentists say.

Dr. Emi Mawson, a Cornwall-based dentist, has taken to TikTok to warn others against the invasive treatments carried out overseas, which leave people with ‘pegs’ for teeth.

“These are not veneer preparations,” she said of the shark teeth, shown off by the likes of Katie Price. “These are crown preparations and there’s a big difference.”

Several dentists have taken to the popular social media app to explain to users what these influencers have actually done and highlighted the major problems these people will have in the future. The dentists’ goal is to educate users as to what veneers and crowns are and what they will mean for the future of their teeth.

Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri, a London-based dentist, shared a TikTok of an influencer showing off her “shark teeth” and comparing them to a gorgeous-looking mouth full of crowns, however, the dentist warned, “she’s going to have dentures by the age of 40″.

Watch the Dentists’ warnings:

@dentist_emi

Let’s talk about Katie Prices ‘veneers’. #veneers #dentist

♬ original sound – Dentist Emi

From AWM:

Influencers do not really care about the health and wellness of their followers. They just do whatever it takes to gain fame and fortune at their followers’ expense. Because of this lack of empathy and caring for followers, dentists are coming forward to warn young people about the life-changing consequences of going through an invasive dental procedure like these.

Knowing the difference between veneers and crowns could protect people from causing lasting damage to their teeth.

Although crowns and veneers are terms used interchangeably, they are very different dental procedures. Influencers on TikTok do not seem to care about accuracy in their displays when sharing with fans.

“When you get veneers, most of your tooth is still there, only a little bit is shaved off,” Dr. Zainab Mackie, a Detroit-based dentist, said on TikTok. “When you get crowns, your teeth are shaved down to little pegs.”

Veneers usually require a tooth to be shaved down only half a millimeter to prepare it for a porcelain or composite covering. Some veneers do not require any preparatory work.

However, crowns require extensive preparation. These require that several millimeters of irreplaceable enamel be shaved off the tooth.

“This is only done if there were cavities to take out or the teeth were already broken,” Dr. Mackie added.

“That’s gonna be like $20,000 every ten years, not to mention when you get a cavity,” Dr. Ben Winters, an Arkansas-based Orthdonist, said in a TikTok.

Watch the video below:

@drzmackie

Difference between crowns & veneers! #tiktokpartner #learnontiktok #veneers #dentalcrown #dentist intro vid: @ellisenoorahhamadi

♬ original sound – Your TikTok Dentist

Veneers can range from $250 to $2500 per tooth. Crowns are even more expensive, ranging from $1000 to $3500 per tooth. Often crowns require other procedures to be done first, such as root canals or core buildup. These will drive the cost up even more.

To top all of this off, the dentists on TikTok remind users that these are not a one-and-done deal: You will need to replace them every 10 to 15 years. In many cases, these young people getting crowns will need dentures by the time they are 40.

In most countries, dentists will not perform these procedures on healthy teeth at all, especially crowns.