Young TikTok users are going to extreme lengths to get more views than those they compete against. Some people may be taking the TikTok trend too far because they’ve been filing down their teeth to achieve the “perfect smile.” Although few think their teeth look good after the at-home procedure, dentists have a dire warning for these young TikTok influencers – if they don’t stop damaging their teeth, by age forty they will need false teeth.

Some people are going to extremes to get the look they want, filing down their teeth so they can wear veneers. Unfortunately, this style is not very sustainable – full sets of crowns only last 10-15 years before requiring replacement.

“She’s going to have dentures by the age of 40,” Dr. Shaadi Manouchehri, a London-based dentist, wrote in response to one of these so-called “veneer” blogs that are quite popular on TikTok.

In order to get full-coverage crowns, significantly more prep work is required for the teeth in comparison to veneers. Dentists typically do not recommend them for children or young people because of the preparatory work that would need to be done. This requires the teeth to get shaved down almost entirely so the crown can fit over top. Even though this process is extensive, young people who want to become TikTok famous are often willing to go through with it if it means they’ll gain more views.

“These are not veneer preparations,” Dr. Emi Mawson of Cornwall’s Dental Practice advised her TikTok followers about the increasing number of “veneer” videos on the platform. “These are crown preparations, and there’s a big difference.”

Influencers have little concern for the health and wellness of their followers. They only do whatever it takes to acquire attention and money at the expense of their followers. Dentists are speaking out now since young individuals are going through invasive dental treatments like these without understanding what they’re doing or why they should think about it.

It’s important for patients to understand the differences between veneers and crowns, as this may help them avoid causing long-term damage to their teeth.

Even though they are terms that can be used interchangeably, crowns and veneers are two separate dental procedures. Unfortunately, it seems as if accuracy is not a priority for influencers on TikTok when sharing information with their 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. “When you get crowns, your teeth are shaved down to little pegs.”

Veneers are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-colored porcelain that cover the front surface of your teeth. They’re bonded to the fronts of the teeth changing their color, shape, size or length.

However, before getting a crown placed on a tooth, extensive preparation is required. This means that several millimeters of the enamel have to be shaved off the tooth irreplaceably.

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

“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, added.

A word to the wise: Don’t always believe what you see on TikTok.