I dread going to the dentist as much as the next person — so any video suggests I might not need to get my attention. Lately, I’ve been drawn to TikTok clips sharing how to reverse a cavity without visiting the dentist for a filling.
Some videos say it’s as easy as chewing a nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste tablet (“imagine an acne treatment, but for your tooth” says a TikToker identifying herself as a dentist’s daughter). Or you can supposedly apply a whitening strip that uses the same ingredient, which claims a young woman “It basically rebuilds your teeth.” But that can’t be true, can it?
See what dentists at Yahoo Life have to say about cavity reversal — and why you can’t escape their offices entirely.
Is it possible to reverse a cavity?
In some cases, maybe — but only to a certain point, he says Dr. Whitney Whitedentist and practice owner at Aspen Dental.
“A cavity is a rotten spot in your tooth that leads to a hole or weakness in the enamel,” she tells Yahoo Life. “Cavities are caused by bacteria and plaque in your mouth, which produces acid that erodes tooth enamel over time.”
There is a limited amount of time when the cavity affects only the enamel, or outer surface of the tooth, before it reaches the dentin or pulp of the tooth. During this time window, reversal of a cavity may be possible using fluoride or hydroxyapatiteaccording to White. “Once the cavity gets past the first layer of the tooth to the dentin, a cavity cannot be reversed,” he says.
Remineralization is a better term for the process of reversing a cavity, he says Dr. Anna Bericowner of Newton Dental Associates and Center for Oral Surgery and Implantology in Boston. He tells Yahoo Life that a tooth is made up of minerals like hydroxyapatite, fluoride and calcium, so they can be used to strengthen its enamel and prevent further damage.
“If we catch these things small and early, we have some options for patients,” says Berik. “It might not work, but it’s cheap and easy to do and it’s a lot better than having a deposit if you don’t need it.”
How to do it
Applying hydroxyapatite or fluoride to the teeth in the form of toothpastes, mouthwashes or gels are great options to try. White says fluoride treatments can be given specifically at the dentist’s office, but there are ways to use it at home, with the dentist’s recommendation.
“A TikTok trend that I really love as a dentist is putting fluoride toothpaste on the floss and then flossing between the teeth,” she says. “This is a great way to get fluoride in between the teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach and where cavities form.”
Xylitola natural sugar alcohol, is another ingredient he recommends for caries-prone patients. “It helps prevent cavity-causing acid production from bacteria, which in turn reduces the risk of tooth decay,” he says. “The ingredient can be found in many products these days, such as chewing gum.”
Other home remedies offered on TikTok should be avoided, such as those concerning bentonite clay to reverse a cavity. Even whitening strips with added hydroxyapatite won’t do the trick. “Bleaching strips can be harmful in some cases,” Dr. Jason B. Cellarscosmetic dentist at Seacliff Dental in Huntington Beach, California, tells Yahoo Life. “If you have exposed dentin, very thin enamel, exposed cavities or root surfaces, the acid in the bleaching strips can erode more tooth structure than can be remineralized and so should be avoided.”
“I would be extremely careful with DIY treatments or products that are not approved by the American Dental Association. The worst-case scenario is that you could permanently damage your teeth,” says White.
So… can I skip the dentist?
No — sorry. The early stages of a cavity, when it’s reversible and preventable, “can’t be seen in your mirror,” says Cellars. “There’s no way to plug these cavities early unless you go to the dentist, so we do x-rays, usually once a year.” These X-rays allow dentists to see if small cavities are forming between the teeth “so we can either prevent it or reverse it before it becomes a big problem,” he tells Yahoo Life.
White says a cavity can appear as a white spot in its early stages. However, Berik points out that many cavities form between the teeth where not a single point can be observed. Otherwise, the patient usually waits until pain or tenderness is felt. At that point, it’s too late to turn around.
“When you’re in pain, you’re not dealing with something superficial that maybe you can help in a very comforting way,” says Berik. “You talk about healing. you’re talking about fillings.”
