---

During lockdown and really through the entirety of the pandemic, it was hard to access medical and dental care.

As a result, more and more people began to attempt to carry out their own dental procedures at home. Of course, this is incredibly risky and should never be something that is attempted. For extraction or dental implants Essex is a great place to look for an experienced and reputable practitioner rather than attempting anything on the cheap or at home. But what exactly are the risks of carrying out your own dental procedures at home? Read on to find out more.

Buying Dental Equipment Online

People began to buy all sorts of things online, from teeth bleaching kits to even teeth implantation kits. Although this may seem like a good idea because they are often a lot cheaper and the instructions make it seem easy, but this simply is not the case. The equipment that is used by dentists during procedures is medical-grade, and as such, it has to adhere to health and safety regulations; the imitation equipment found online does not.

In the best-case scenario, this equipment is ineffective; in the worst case, it can be unsafe for human consumption and damaging to your teeth. In addition, using these things can make any periodontal issues you have far worse, and you may require much more invasive treatment to save or repair your teeth as a result.

Common Procedures

There are reports of people doing all sorts of dental procedures at home to devastating effect, from teeth bleaching to pulling teeth to homemade braces. Dentists study for years to be able to carry out these procedures in a safe and effective manner.

People have been receiving burns as a result of trying to bleach their teeth at home. Dental bleach is specifically formulated to be used on teeth safely with minimal risk of burning or enamel erosion. Pulling teeth to eliminate a toothache is overkill. It can lead to severe infections and weaken your mouth’s structure. Often, a filling or cleaning is enough to save a tooth. If not, any tooth that is removed really ought to be replaced if possible so as to not weaken the integrity of the remaining teeth.

Homemade braces are incredibly dangerous; they can weaken and loosen teeth or even lead to the necessary removal of these teeth. Instead, braces are designed to move the teeth incrementally over time as this is the safest way, and it also makes the teeth more likely to move back. If you want straighter teeth, dental intervention is needed. For example, Argo Dental offer a few methods of teeth straightening, including Verity Smiles Aligners. You may be wondering how Verity Smiles Aligners work. Well, first, a 3D model of your teeth is made, which helps to create aligners. Then, these aligners are changed out regularly following dental visits every six to eight weeks until you achieve the smile that you want.

In Conclusion

Attempting to carry out your own dental procedures is incredibly risky, if not downright dangerous. They can lead to infection, worsening periodontal issues and other health issues. There is simply no excuse; the effects of the pandemic are lessening, and visiting a dentist is easily accessible once again. Most people only need to visit the dentists twice a year which is not a big commitment; you should be easily able to find the time to go.

---