Flashing flawless smiles, Juliette Mansour and Julie Pacorel expertly convinced their young audience that getting super white and perfectly aligned teeth is affordable, fast and effortless.
However, teeth whitening or straightening products promoted by these influencers, often through sponsored ads on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, can be dangerous if misused, dentists have warned.
And some companies promoting these cheap, at-home products have fallen far short of their lofty promises.
The US-based company SmileDirectClub has aggressively advertised online for its “clear aligners”, which are plastic braces worn daily to straighten teeth.
However, the company filed for bankruptcy in December, leaving many customers in the lurch.
Chantelle Jones, a 32-year-old British woman who paid the company $2,300, straightened only her upper teeth and never received lower molds.
“I’m not sure if I’ll get any money back,” she told the BBC last month.
The company announced that the “Lifetime Smile Guarantee” “no longer exists”, advising customers to seek professional help.
But because a dentist did not start the process, “everything would have to start from scratch,” French dentist Genevieve Wagner told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
These products are not used solely for cosmetic purposes, said David Couchat of the French Federation of Orthodontics.
“Aligning some incisors can happen quickly, but there’s a lot of work to be done afterwards on how someone is going to use their jaws to chew,” he said.
A whiter shade of pal
Simple online tests offered by these products cannot detect bone loss, tooth decay or gum disease, said Christophe Lequart, a dental surgeon and spokesman for the French Association for Oral Health.
But he warned that if the products were used by customers with such problems, it could lead to serious long-term damage.
Other products promoted by enthusiastic beauty and wellness influencers include teeth whitening strips, pens, gels, lamps and toothpaste.
Some of these products sell online for as little as $20, compared to potentially thousands for a whitening procedure performed by a dentist.
The active whitening ingredient in many of these products, the chemical compound hydrogen peroxide, is strictly controlled in the UK and the European Union.
The concentration of hydrogen peroxide cannot exceed 0.1% in over-the-counter products in the UK and EU. Dentists, however, can use or prescribe products that have up to 6%.
That hasn’t stopped French influencer Poupette Kenza from pushing Crest 3D Whitestrips, which tests have shown contain up to 10% hydrogen peroxide.
Late last year, French authorities fined Kenza $55,000 for promoting the banned product, which regularly gets millions of views on TikTok.
Big scam
When used in large amounts, hydrogen peroxide can be harmful, especially if applied to cavities or diseased gums.
Before whitening, dentists clean the teeth to remove any surface discoloration, a process that doesn’t happen with products bought from home online.
Dental surgeon Lequart said overuse of these products can cause irritation or even lead to receding gums, an early warning sign of future tooth loss.
One online customer said Crest strips “lighten teeth many shades, of course, but give a horrible sensation during hot or cold meals.”
Lequart said: “On social networks, the target audience is relatively young and interested in saving.”
This could lead to a potential “oral health disaster,” he added.
Wagner emphasized that most young people have perfectly healthy teeth and should not use “whitening products, which damage their teeth prematurely through acids.”
Lequart warned that before and after bleach images on social media are often touched up using Photoshop.
Couchat pointed out that the influencers promoting these products often have expensive porcelain veneers covering their original teeth.
“They are taking advantage of people’s gullibility. It is a big scam,” he added.
These veneers are also popular among Hollywood stars, a common inspiration for many who dream of a whiter smile.
