Do-it-yourself dental work is happening. Help us.

by Mamamia Team June 6, 2015

Going to the dentist is nobody’s idea of fun day out.

Whether it’s through a fear of the event or just how much it will cost you, it can seem tempting to seek alternative options. But your teeth are not something worth compromising — which is exactly what you’re doing if you jump on the latest Youtube trend, DIY Dentistry.

Yep, people are attempting to make their own false teeth, fix chipped teeth with a paperclip, LED light and hairdryer, and even close gaps with elastic bands, before uploading the results online.

Wow. Here we were thinking it was extreme that Angie Barlow spent 10 years supergluing her teeth back in whenever they fell out, simply to avoid seeing a dentist. (Post continues after gallery.)

Celebrities showing off their pearly whites.

Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara.

Image via Instagram.

Anne Hathaway.

Image via Instagram.

Beyonce.

Image via Instagram.

Taylor Swift.

Image via Instagram.

Image via Instagram @bickmorecarrie

Lisa Wilkinson.

Image via Instagram.

Rebel Wilson.

Image via Instagram.

Khloe Kardashian.

Image via Instagram.

Emily Blunt and Anna Kendrick.

Image via Instagram.

Lea Michele.

Image via Instagram.

Kendall Jenner.

Image via Instagram.

Gorgi Coghlan.

Image via Instagram.

Margot Robbie.

Image via Instagram.

Fifi Box and Chrissie Swan.

Image via Instagram.

Some things in life are fine to DIY. Fix up a shelf, try your hand at gardening, even try fixing the leaky sink if you’re so inclined. But at-home dentistry when you’ve got no qualifications or experience? Best left to the professionals.

Unsurprisingly, it’s a worrying practise dentists do not recommend.

“For people who have had bad experiences with poor dentistry, they feel like they could do a better job. However, if you find and go to a good dentist then their skills will be unrivalled and certainly not something you can create at home,” says Belle Dental ‘s Dr Alex Huzsti.

“At home, people don’t have the expertise and at best you’ll only get short-lived results. There are a lot of factors involved in dentistry.”

Do not try this at home! Image via Youtube (JudeCossey)

Dr Huzsti says attempting to fix things at home can have devastating — not to mention painful — results.

"The tissue in the mouth is extremely sensitive, and there's not much you can use that is biocompatible. You've got the risk of burns, allergic reactions and using things that have sharp edges that can scratch your gums," he explains.

"Resealing teeth can result in an abscess, and if you block that infection up by glueing a tooth back on it can cause serious infection. People have died from dental abscesses, as they can spread into the throat. There are fairly serious repercussions."

Leave it to the professionals.

Dr Huszti continues: "Dentists routinely see infection (so, decay) and these kinds of attempts at dentistry promote infection and if it gets out of control you're looking at potentially fatal consequences. If the infection gets into your head and neck, there'll be problems with your eye sight, breathing and potential blood infections. Ultimately, if things go wrong, death is a very real possibility."

Although you may be able to find similar tools and ingredients that dentists use, Dr Huzsti warns they're along way from the real deal.

"For me as a dentist, my objective is dealing with basics effectively on a priority basis - not short term fixes. Take the time to do it right or it's going to be a patch up job, so I would not advise garage dentistry."

Speaking of crazy teeth trends... People are now brushing their teeth with charcoal to whiten them. (Post continues after gallery.)