Dentist warns dangers of using nail polish to whiten teeth

A dentist has warned about the dangers of using nail polish to whiten teeth after a beauty queen did it to achieve a killer smile in a pageant.

As seen in Kuya Kim's report on "24 Oras," Thursday, the beauconera had to smile the whole time because she could not close her mouth easily due to the nail polish.

According to Dr. Maureen Ines-Manzano, doing this is incredibly risky because nail polish contains toxic substances.

"'Pag ito na-digest, puwede mag-cause ng vomiting. O kaya allergy or worse, umabot sa central nervous system natin at mag-cause ng mas malala pang problem," she said.

"'Pag dinikit 'yung nail polish, mag-a-accumulate 'yan ngayon ng tartar that can cause dental caries."

As a remedy for yellowish teeth, Dr. Maureen said it's better to get a veneer—a cosmetic device used to hide dental imperfections.

A veneer can be direct or indirect. A direct veneer uses a composite material while an indirect veneer uses lithium disilicate.

Human teeth contains a protective covering called enamel, which becomes thinner over time due to chewing and acid from food. This in turn causes yellowing of the teeth.

—MGP, GMA Integrated News