A picture with Thanks to Chrom

A particular tooth polish, Chrom, marketed as “Fashion Tooth Polish,” is all the rage on TikTok. This company sells white polish, metallic and pastel, and vibrant colors. I bet you can even buy a Kelly green for St. Patrick’s Day.

Ingestion Questions

As a dentist, I want to weigh in on this product, not because it wouldn’t be fun to paint your teeth for a short time, but because we have no data on how the product may affect the users. What if they accidentally swallowed some of this paint? There have been no long-term studies on this product at all.

I know this company has been selling white paint, but they have introduced the color selections now. My biggest concern is that patients may “paint” over dental problems such as cavities. Covering up dental issues could lead to much larger treatment needs in the future. And, how does this paint affect the enamel of the painted tooth?

Cliff Hartman, Wisconsin Dental Association

Cliff Hartmann, DDS, president of the Wisconsin Dental Association, stated, “I have not seen any peer-reviewed, long-term studies on this product and how it can affect users if accidentally swallowed.”

A spokesperson from Chrom stated, “We are not aware of any studies that indicate triethyl citrate causes damage to tooth enamel, nor has this been observed by any of our testing labs or consumers.”

In Summary

In my personal opinion, with the conflicting reviews, I recommend purchasing a product with the ADA seal of approval. According to Mouth Healthy, an online help aid for dental patients, “The ADA Seal is backed by science—to have your back. Every product with the Seal has been scientifically evaluated by independent experts to be safe and effective. In fact, to earn the Seal, companies are often asked to meet higher standards than what is required by law. Products that don’t meet these tough guidelines don’t get the Seal, period.”

Thanks to Becker’s Dental and DSO review and ADA Mouth Healthy