Social media can have many positive effects on people’s lives, but it also has a hugely negative power. It can lead to mood disorders that lead to depression and even suicide.
Therefore, it is no longer surprising that we also see how social media users influence and try to change their self-image. Social media platforms are mostly preferred by young people.
When some social media platforms banned certain filters in the past years, it was aimed to reduce this effect on young people a little bit. The ban targeted filters designed to mimic the effects of plastic surgery, in an attempt not to encourage people to view themselves as flawed and in need of surgical improvement. While this was a positive step, it was rather lacking in an attempt to control cosmetic dentistry filters.
Today, Instagram and selfie culture have initiated and shaped countless trends, perhaps the most common of which is the perfect smile.
We see countless images of those huge, incredibly smooth and white smiles that we often come across on Instagram feeds.
In the past, people used to share the smile they wanted to have by showing their teeth (which we do not think is very accurate. The smile design should be designed completely individually, their facial features should be compatible with skin color and lip structure.) Now they say they want to look like a filtered version of themselves: The teeth are very big, very white and very straight…
The ability to manipulate images on Instagram through the use of so-called “beautiful” filters or photo editing apps like FaceTune has set a hard-to-reach standard within the app itself.
Experts say that the normalization of a perfect, extremely beautiful appearance on social media, such as a smile, only serves to increase one’s capacity for dissatisfaction with oneself. It should be noted that there is no way to achieve these standards without resorting to extremes, and the impact of these images is usually only on your social media and subconscious.
The normalization of excessive beauty only serves to increase the capacity for dissatisfaction.
With these apps, users have access to easy tools to whiten or reshape their teeth in unrealistic ways. Because it is so visual, only the most perfect and pleasing images are shown. What about in real life?
Low self-confidence selfies and illegal whitening home use kits
When the desire to have a perfect smile is so strong that even FaceTune or Instagram filters don’t satisfy your wishes, there are two options: seeing a dentist or getting your teeth treated with an illegal whitening product instead, which is option 2 that should never be done, seriously. It is a dangerous path with harmful consequences.
Dentists can use social media to connect and influence people;
Despite alarming trends and all the untrue filters, Instagram also serves as a great resource for both education and connection. After all, influencers and celebrities aren’t the only ones giving tips; many dentists are also involved in this field in a significant amount.
In the past, if someone asked for a recommendation, they would ask their friends who their family dentist was and they would go to them. But now, Instagram brings us all together with the experts. Now, dentists can train clients who reach them through social media platforms and ensure that they are directed in the right direction. An easy way to educate and share knowledge.
Where in the past patients were limited to the dentist in their area, patients can now get information quickly and easily by sending a direct message or leaving a comment to the dentist.
It also helps people get an idea of the dentist’s work and review others based on their experience. It encourages education about the cost of certain procedures, what they look like, and how long they take.
The benefits of social media as an educational tool for both practitioners and patients are unmatched, giving dentists the opportunity to engage and inform users about oral health. Both psychological and physical harms are by no means limited to the field of cosmetic dentistry. With the rise of body positivity and unfiltered posts, we can hope that people will dare to smile without embarrassment.
