A licensed dental hygienist, Whitney DiFoggio was sick of seeing traits pop up on-line that have been giving individuals the flawed recommendation about their tooth.

“I just realized people need to know what’s right and wrong,” DiFoggio stated.

DiFoggio began her personal YouTube channel and social media accounts underneath the identify, “Teeth Talk Girl,” to tackle a few of the loopy tooth traits she noticed on-line

“There’s so many wild things, the weird the weirdest things you’d ever think of,” DiFoggio stated.

When it involves tooth whitening, some traits can truly be harmful, so she units the file straight right here:

She says brushing with charcoal toothpaste is a no-no.

“Charcoal can too abrasive for tooth enamel,” DiFoggio stated.

Brushing with purple toothpaste has racked up thousands and thousands of views on TikTok, however DiFoggio stated, “It’s a gimmick.”

Another trick with thousands and thousands of views is brushing with turmeric, the spice, however DiFoggio stated, “The American Dental Association has it on their website that says spices do not have any evidence for teeth whitening.”

And some traits, like swishing your mouth with apple cider vinegar, can truly hurt your tooth.

“An acidic mouth increases cavities, increases enamel erosion,” DiFoggio stated.

What does DiFoggio suggest to whiten tooth?

“White strips are your first option. They really do work especially if they contain peroxide. Even better if they’re approved by the American Dental Association. You can find on the box of whitening if there’s the ADA seal of acceptance on there. Then you know it has been tested for safety and efficacy.” DiFoggio stated.

“I also tell my patients it’s the best option because they’re affordable. And the only negative is they might take some time. They might take a couple of weeks to two or three weeks,” DiFoggio stated.

Here are two extra well being traits making the rounds on social media:

Pimple patches to deal with mosquito bites

We needed to know if pimple patches actually work, so we requested Dr. Megha Trivedi, a dermatologist at RUSH University Medical Center.

“Overall, not a bad idea, if it’s a mosquito bump and you want it to kind of heal faster, you can absolutely use a hydrocolloid patch,” Trivedi stated.

“We use it for wound care, and hydrocolloid has the property of moisture wicking,” Trivedi defined how she makes use of hydrocolloid patches in her apply on a regular basis. But she stated there’s one factor the pimple patches can’t do.

“Some of these claims that hydrocolloid patches help with itching are actually not true,” Trivedi stated. “You want to make sure you use something like a hydrocortisone over the counter to help with that.”

Drinking liquid chlorophyll for higher digestion

Dr. Michael Brown, a gastroenterologist at RUSH, says he’s had sufferers ask about and his reply could shock you.

“It might,” Brown stated.

Dr. Brown stated extra human analysis is required, nevertheless, “There’s animal data that suggested it’s a strong antioxidant. It may alter that gut microbiome in a way that’s favorable, that could perhaps help with bloating, which is a really difficult symptom to deal with.”

Side results embrace nausea and diarrhea, however Dr. Brown stated liquid chlorophyll may fit for some individuals.

“If a patient gets better with it, there’s no harm. This can be taken forever. It’s very safe stuff. You can get it when you eat kale and lettuce too, but you can get a more concentrated here,” Brown stated, holding a bottle of liquid chlorophyll that you’ll find on-line or in some grocery shops.

Dr. Brown stated secure isn’t all the time the case for all of the well being hacks that fill your feed.

“The problem with social media is it’s testimonials,” Brown stated. “You’ve got to be a little bit careful because sometimes the things that they’re pushing aren’t exactly safe. This one happens to be safe.”

Health consultants say you must all the time discuss to your physician earlier than making an attempt any well being traits you see on-line.