Professions that demand a degree such as dentistry would be innumerous, excepting that you can actually count them. Particularly if you love crunching through numbers like a 2am tube of Pringles during your first binge watch of Breaking Bad.

Even jobs that once didn’t require that official proof of academic and practical knowledge do now; you can’t be a PA without a BA.

There was a time that to become a surgeon was an apprenticeship, and dentists didn’t have a profession other than barber, presumably with a bucket and a high gore threshold.

Certainly, degree inflation is a thing. It’s such a reality that many graduates find themselves having to accept employment in areas other than their field of study. Universities churn out academic degrees at such a rate that each becomes worth less than the one before. Still, you’ve got to be grateful that anyone rummaging around inside you – whether via scalpel or open mouth – is legally bound to have that testamur of triumph that proclaims, “Yes! Yes they CAN!”

What is it then, about social media that for many people completely obliterates that obvious fact? How is it that viral-lucky lunatics, their only evidence of knowledge in uploading, can so instantly alter the way somebody cares for their oral health?

Without question, the internet is the global go-to for information.

According to 2025 statistics, 5.56 billion people across the globe clamour around in cyberspace; which is almost 70% of the world population. That’s a lot of tap-tap-tappin’ and claptrap mapping. There’s a wealth of information out there with no currency at all – it’s questionable, inaccurate and overwhelmingly, often repeated.

AI does it: creates false or misleading information and deems it factual. So much for the ‘intelligence’ part. To have it sound more like a widdle boo-boo than blatant (and possibly damaging) B.S. it’s referred to as AI “hallucinating”.

Try using that as explanation for stupid answers on your next exam. It could work. Gradescope could be marking it.

There are digital SAN dunes of online oral health information that’s simply not true. We’re aware of a mountain of online information across every known topic that’s simply not true. It’s obviously not limited to health and dentistry. Yet we are less likely to be as skeptical of misinformation and disinformation that’s so routinely disseminated, when it comes to what matters most.

Our existence, basically.

Algorithms personalise content. They’re able to create confirmation bias and isolated echo chambers. It’s done by reinforcing a user’s existing views with filter bubbles, that reject contradictory perspectives. Social media digital citizens are commonly exposed to health and dental information whether they’re looking for it or not. There are plenty of captivating, personal story clickbait.

Undeniably for profit, they’re more engaging than verifiable, and more gossip than gospel.

In order to find, comprehend and evaluate the credibility of online dental information pretty much requires a degree in digital health literacy. Easier than that, is to consult a bonafide dentist – even if for reasons of accessibility, they’re on the ‘net.

With false content a serious risk, consult only reputable oral health practitioner sites. Many clinicians offer their professional knowledge of symptoms, treatments, processes and procedures to the digital community. It’s a fact-finding mission; not a home-dentistry ‘how-to’. Other than dentist advised, interim kitchen cupboard remedies for the likes of toothache or swollen gums, the motivation for looking them up is that you have a dental issue. Ignoring it exacerbates it. The smartest thing you can do is make an appointment.

Relying on Tik Tok ‘life hack’ hacks to deal with a loose tooth with super glue, tooth misalignment with rubber bands and a nail file, or enamel whitening with bleach is guaranteed to create a bigger problem than the one you had. With the high possibility of irreversible damage.

Not adhering to the age-old advice of six-monthly dental appointments does that too.

They’re the opportunities for the expertise of an oral health professional to identify the early stages of tooth decay or gum disease. It’s the time that treatments are simple and effective, in comparison to complex and expensive.

If there’s a DIY in dentistry, it’s Don’t Imperil Yourself. Oral health is imperative to overall physical and mental wellbeing, and a happy, contented life. Have a dentist do what they do best: taking care of your teeth and gums. You just have to show up twice a year.

Further Reading:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/diy-dentistry-gaining-popularity-dentists-begging-it-to-stop/
https://www.quora.com/What-glue-is-best-to-glue-back-a-tooth?top_ans=159104612
https://www.rootsdental.com/what-can-i-use-instead-of-denture-glue/
https://www.montreuxdental.com/what-kind-of-glue-can-be-used-to-repair-dentures/
https://www.dental-nursing.co.uk/news/diy-dentistry-superglue
https://www.gatewaydental.co.uk/post/diy-dentistry-the-rise-in-dental-sepsis
https://www.bradleyandpartners.co.uk/blog/advice/diy-dentistry-do-not-do-it/
https://worldofdentistry.org/teeth-glue-guide-types-uses-and-risks/

Disclaimer: The material posted is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Results vary with each patient. Any dental procedure carries risks and benefits. If you have any specific questions about any dental and/or medical matter, you should consult your dentist, physician or other professional healthcare providers.

SERVICES WE MENTIONED

RELATED ARTICLES