Beware the real cost of pearly whites

– By flashing a perfect smile, online beauty influencers have proven adept at convincing their young followers that they, too, can have blindingly white, perfectly aligned teeth for very little money, time or effort.

But the teeth whitening or straightening products these influencers are promoting – often via sponsored ads on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok – can be dangerous if used incorrectly, dentists have warned.

And some companies pushing these inexpensive, at-home products have fallen far short of their lofty promises.

The US-based firm SmileDirectClub aggressively advertised online for its “clear aligners”, which are plastic braces worn daily to straighten teeth. However, the firm filed for bankruptcy in December, leaving many customers in the lurch.

Chantelle Jones, a 32-year-old Briton who paid the firm £1 800 (about R44 000), only had her top teeth straightened and never received the bottom moulds. “I’m not sure if I’m going to get any money back,” she told the BBC last month.

The company has announced its “Lifetime Smile Guarantee no longer exists”

The simple online tests offered by these products cannot detect bone loss, tooth loosening or gum disease, said Christophe Lequart, a dental surgeon and spokesperson for the French Union for Oral Health.

But if the products are used by customers with such problems, it could lead to serious long-term damage, he warned.

Other products promoted by enthusiastic beauty and wellness influencers include teeth whitening strips, pens, gels, lamps and toothpaste.

The active whitening ingredient in many of these products, hydrogen peroxide, cannot exceed 0.1% in over-the-counter products in the UK and EU.

Dentists, however, can use or prescribe products that have up to 6%.

That did not stop the French influencer, Poupette Kenza, from pushing Crest 3D Whitestrips, which tests have shown contain up to 10% hydrogen peroxide.

Late last year, the French authorities fined Kenza $55 000 for promoting the banned product.

Lequart said that using too much of these products can cause irritation, or lead gums to recede – an early warning sign of future tooth loss. –