In a video viewed more than 9 million times, TikTok user @diana..nova said she was able to close a tooth gap in three days with hair ties.
Using either small hair ties or the rubber bands, @diana..nova wrapped two bands around her front teeth and the surrounding teeth in efforts to close the gap.
She isn't the first person to try it, reports Yahoo Sports. The trend went viral in 2015 on YouTube, with dentists warning that the damage the bands could cause would be significantly more expensive to fix than just getting braces initially.
Unintended consequences include potentially changing the color of teeth, gums becoming severely inflamed or infected, or tooth loss.