Trends & Culture 7 min read · By Dr. Kevin Baharvand, Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics Short answer: Mouth taping gets one thing right and one thing dangerously wrong. Nasal breathing really is better than mouth breathing. But taping your lips shut is a workaround that can be risky if you have congestion or undiagnosed… Continue reading Mouth Taping: Dangerous Trend or Real Health Fix?
Category: Trends & Culture
Mewing: Does This Jawline Trend Actually Work?
6 min read • By Dr. Kevin Baharvand, Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics • Trends & Culture Mewing comes up in my chair almost every week now, usually from a teenager who saw it on TikTok and wants to know if resting their tongue a certain way will hand them a sharper jawline. It has… Continue reading Mewing: Does This Jawline Trend Actually Work?
DIY Dental Hacks: What Works, What Doesn’t, and When to Call the Pros
Trends & Culture 6 min read · By Dr. Kevin Baharvand, Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics Short answer: Some DIY dental hacks are harmless, a few are useful in a pinch, and a handful are genuinely dangerous. The rough rule: cosmetic touch-ups done gently are usually fine, but anything that moves teeth, treats decay, or… Continue reading DIY Dental Hacks: What Works, What Doesn’t, and When to Call the Pros
All You Need to Know About Tooth Gems in 2026
Trends & Culture 7 min read · By Dr. Kevin Baharvand, Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics Short answer: A tooth gem is a small crystal or jewel bonded to the front of a tooth with dental adhesive. Applied by a professional without drilling, it is generally low-risk and temporary, lasting weeks to a year. The… Continue reading All You Need to Know About Tooth Gems in 2026
Lookmaxxing and Orthodontics: What the Trend Gets Right (and What It Misses)
Trends & Culture 15 min read • By Dr. Kevin Baharvand, Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics SHORT ANSWER Looksmaxxing gets one real thing right: jaw position and bite genuinely affect how a face looks, and orthodontics can change that. Where it goes wrong is scale and mechanism. Growth can be influenced in children. In adults,… Continue reading Lookmaxxing and Orthodontics: What the Trend Gets Right (and What It Misses)
What Europe Actually Banned in Gel Nail Polish (and Why an Orthodontist Cares)
Trends & Culture 6 min read • By Dr. Kevin Baharvand, Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics SHORT ANSWER Europe did not ban gel nail polish. It banned one ingredient in it, a photoinitiator called TPO, as of 1 September 2025, after the ingredient was classified as a reproductive toxicant. Reformulated gels without TPO are still… Continue reading What Europe Actually Banned in Gel Nail Polish (and Why an Orthodontist Cares)
Fake Braces: What Teens (and Parents) Need to Know
Trends & Culture 6 min read • By Dr. Kevin Baharvand, Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics SHORT ANSWER Fake braces are clip-on plastic brackets and wire sold online as a look, usually for under twenty dollars. They are not harmless costume jewelry. They apply real, uncontrolled force to teeth, trap plaque against enamel and gums,… Continue reading Fake Braces: What Teens (and Parents) Need to Know