Orthodontic treatments paid for but interrupted overnight after the bankruptcy of an American company, whitening kits dangerous to health sold completely illegally… The unscrupulous business of dental aesthetics, promoted abundantly on social networks, is devastation.
On TikTok or Instagram, influencers have propagated the fashion for the “Hollywood smile”, very white and perfectly aligned teeth, and are providing their so-called advice to obtain the same result in record time. The products highlighted are often very cheap compared to the care offered in a dental office, and are not reimbursed by Social Security.
Transparent gutters “guaranteed for life”
This is what pushed millions of customers to believe in the promises of “the cheapest” invisible orthodontics on the market, in “just a few months”, entirely at home and with a “lifetime guarantee”. the American Smiledirectclub, with very aggressive advertising on the networks. The principle: transparent aligners sold online, to wear every day to straighten your teeth.
At the beginning of December, his customers stopped smiling. The company has filed for bankruptcy and informed them that it will not continue their treatment, advising them to contact a healthcare professional. “I took out a loan for these gutters, I did not receive the products but I still have to pay,” testifies a customer on TikTok. “These people have not seen a dentist, so they cannot turn against anyone,” explains Dr. Geneviève Wagner, of the Order of Dental Surgeons.
Whitening strips promoted by Poupette Kenza
Strips, whitening pens, kits with gel application and lamps or even toothpastes… The other stars of the networks are whitening products at unbeatable prices, around twenty euros for most, compared to 300 euros to 1,200 euros for one. lightening at the dentist.
However, French and European regulations strictly regulate this practice, generally carried out using a chemical compound: hydrogen peroxide, the concentration of which must not exceed 0.1% in over-the-counter products (compared to 6% at the dentist) . This did not prevent influencer Poupette Kenza from promoting whitening strips from the Crest 3D White brand, which far exceed these rates and whose sale is banned in Europe. At the end of November 2023, the DGCCRF sentenced the young woman to a fine of 50,000 euros for deceptive commercial practices.
An unrealistic “white sink”
Brands often promise to gain “many shades”, or even achieve an unrealistic “sink white”. However, products that comply with regulations cannot give miraculous results, contrary to what those who advertise them suggest.
This product “lightens several shades, of course, but it produces horrible sensations during hot-cold meals”, regrets a customer of these whitening kits. There is also “a risk of the whitening product overflowing” which can cause irritation or even retraction of the gums, the first sign of tooth loss. This fashion for perfect teeth is all the more damaging because at 20 years old, we have teeth in good condition.