Dentists Warn Against Dangerous Viral Halloween TikTok Hack

With Halloween around the corner, you may be perfecting your costume, and perhaps, fake fangs are part of the look. But don't make the same mistake several others have already and use superglue or nail adhesive to secure the fangs to your real teeth. No, this is not a joke. Apparently, the method of keeping fangs secure all night long is so popular, it has its own hashtag, #vampirefangs. One TikTok user, muawk, who tried the hack, is seen trying to remove the fangs and let's just say she looks more than a little concerned when they don't come off. Another intrepid fang wearer admits on TikTok he nearly pulled his real teeth out trying to remove his glued-on fangs.

But there's more at stake than just a scare when fangs don't come off. Dr. Ingrid Murra, DDS, told Yahoo that "nail glue can strip off the enamel of your teeth, which can increase the chance of getting cavities and cause sensitivity." And it gets even more serious from there, with Vanessa Creavan, DMD, warning Health, "Super glue has in itself toxic additives, which when placed near the gum tissue can cause gingival inflammation; placed onto the tooth [can lead to] needing root canal treatment."

Dr. LaQuia Vinson with The Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health boils down the reason this Halloween trend is bad news. "[Nail adhesive is] just not meant for oral use. It says it right on the label" (via WISH TV). Meanwhile, Jennifer Haddad, DDS, shares some insight with Health that would frighten Dracula himself off the idea of using glue to adhere fangs to teeth: "Your bite can be affected and you could potentially damage neighboring teeth. Most importantly, you are harming the enamel and could potentially fracture your tooth it as well."

If fangs are an integral part of your costume, experts recommend using orthodonture wax or denture cream to keep the faux teeth in place long enough to get some good photos (via New York Post). But if it's too late, and you already used an adhesive not meant for the mouth, be sure to call your dentist for help instead of trying to remove the fangs yourself and potentially damaging your everyday smile.