A tooth polish is all the rage on TikTok, but dental professionals are urging patients to proceed with caution, TMJ4 News reported Feb. 1.
Six things to know:
1. Chrom, marketed as a "fashion tooth polish" allows users to paint their teeth different colors.
2. Eyad Bittar, DDS, told the Milwaukee news station that he had never heard of the product before and said there is no information about how the product can affect users if it's accidentally ingested because there have not been long-term studies done on the product.
3. Dr. Bittar said his biggest concern was patients painting over dental problems such as cavities, which could lead to larger issues if they are left untreated.
4. Cliff Hartmann, DDS, president of the Wisconsin Dental Association, told the news station he has not seen anything in peer-reviewed journals about the tooth polish's safety. He said the dental association recommends patients speak directly to their dentists instead of relying on social media for advice on potential risks and benefits of dental products.
5. Patients should seek products with the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance, indicating its safety and quality, Dr. Hartmann advised.
6. A spokesperson for Chrom told the news station that the tooth polish has been clinically tested as a laboratory-produced dental product.
"Our formula contains about 1 percent triethyl citrate, which is approved for food and cosmetics use in both the U.S. and the more stringent European Union," the CHROM spokesperson said. "We are not aware of any studies that indicate triethyl citrate causes damage to tooth enamel, nor has this been observed by any of our testing labs or consumers."