Here’s hoping this trend doesn’t have teeth.
Thought remodeling one’s teeth with a nail file was harebrained? Now clout-seekers on TikTok are supergluing costume vampire fangs to their teeth in a viral Halloween trend that dentists are deeming dumb and dangerous.
“That’s just not meant for oral use. It says it right on the label,” Dr. LaQuia Vinson with Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, told WISH-TV in Indianapolis.
Indeed, the viral videos — which, using the hashtag #VampireFangs, have amassed 9 million views — depict various bozos struggling to remove the faux chompers after fastening them to their teeth using Super Glue, nail glue and other adhesives.
In one particularly alarming video, an amateur cosmetician reportedly spent three hours trying to extract the vampire teeth with nail polish remover, almost yanking his teeth out in the process.
Unsurprisingly, dentists advise against the practice.
“Don’t use nail glue — it’s poisonous and won’t come off,” Dr. Z. Mackie, a Detroit dental practitioner, cautioned in a TikTok video.
@drzmackie #stitch with @muawk DIY Fangs the safe way! #learnontiktok #tiktokpartner #dentist #fangs #diyhalloween
Specifically, these harmful chemicals can cause everything from enamel erosion to lacerations or sloughing of the tissues in the oral cavity, according to Dr. Vinson.
California cosmetic dentist Dr. Jennifer Haddad, even told Health that improperly placed Dracula dentures could affect the person’s bite and “potentially damage neighboring teeth.”
For a safer alternative, oral professionals recommend using orthodonture wax or denture cream. “It’s not gonna stay on the whole time, but it’s good for pictures,” said Dr. Mackie.
Meanwhile, those who’ve already glued their snack-slicers are warned to resist removing the vampire caps themselves and to visit the dentist immediately. In 2018, an Alabama woman wound up doing that after a painful experience with adhesive and fangs.