
With Halloween approaching, many people are sharing costume ideas and tips and tricks on social media. Creating your own costume at home can be more cost effective, better for the environment, and more fun. While social media platforms like TikTok or Pinterest can be great sources of inspiration, sometimes it’s best to avoid DIY projects you see on social media. One Halloween costume trend in particular has caused problems for some of the people who have tried it out.
Over the past several years, numerous TikTok creators have showcased their DIY vampire fangs, and they look great. The problem is that some people have not been able to remove those fangs.
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One TikToker went viral when she couldn't get her vampire fangs off.
One TikToker who tried out DIY vampire fangs started freaking out when she realized that her fangs wouldn’t come off. In a series of videos, Whitney Kait, known as @muawk, showed several strategies she tried to use to get her fangs off. When brushing her teeth and flossing several times didn’t help, someone told her she should go see a dentist.
But Kait was dealing with the fang issue late at night, and couldn’t just go to the dentist. In the caption on one of her videos, she admitted that she attached the fangs to her teeth using nail glue. “OKAY I NEED ACTUAL HELP!!!! I USED NAIL GLUE (yes I’m dumb) BUT HOW DO I GET THEM OFF!!!!!!!” she captioned one video. In a follow-up video, she said two hours had passed and the fangs still wouldn’t come off.
Another creator had to wear her vampire fangs to work because they wouldn't come off.
A TikToker named Claudia, who goes by @claudcirillo on the platform, documented her many attempts to remove her vampire fangs. She “tried everything” to no avail, and when she went to work the next morning, she still looked like a vampire.
Eventually, after eating an apple, she was able to get the fangs off, but it required a lot of effort. “I mean, if anything it’s good advertisement that they actually stick,” one person commented on one of Claudia’s videos. “You’re not wrong 😂” Claudia responded.
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Dentists advise against using DIY methods for vampire fangs.
While the DIY fangs on TikTok look authentic, the cool costume might not be worth the risks that come along with it. One dentist on TikTok, Dr. Steven Liao, responded to a video in which someone had to go to the dentist to have their fake fangs removed.
In the original video, the dentist says, “they’re stuck on there tight” as he works to remove the fangs. In his response, Steven said that “she got really lucky to get those fangs out without damaging her own teeth.”
He explained that when using DIY methods to attach fangs to your teeth, they might get stuck, requiring a dentist to remove them — and it might even damage your real teeth.
There are safer alternatives to these DIY fangs.
One dentist, Dr. Zainab Mackie, who goes by Your TikTok Dentist, responded to Kait’s fang removal troubles and cautioned against using nail glue to attach fangs. For those who would like to wear fake fangs for Halloween, there are safer options available, explained in her video.
She said if you’re using acrylic nails as fangs, using a denture glue will be “safe and easy to take off.” Another option is orthodontic wax, which will not keep the fangs in place for as long, but is a great option if you’re hoping to take pictures with fangs on, she explained.
The plastic vampire fangs that go over your teeth might be a better option.
A TikTok user who goes by @dentite and is a dentist in Michigan, according to their TikTok bio, also responded to Kait’s video. For safer removal of fangs glued onto teeth, he recommended seeing a dentist. However, for those looking to dress up as vampires for Halloween, he said it might be better to buy the traditional fake fangs found in the Halloween sections at stores.
The traditional plastic fangs don’t look as authentic, but they’re obviously much easier to remove. “In the future I would recommend just get fake ones that come on and off from the Halloween/Dracula aisle,” the dentist wrote on TikTok.
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.