TiTok is full of different trends, some of them fun and helpful hacks, others just downright dangerous for either yourself or others.
One such TikTok hack that is currently viral poses a major threat to your teeth.
The trend is known as the “frozen honey” trend, and while it sounds harmless enough, there are several dentists who are warning against the trend.
The frozen honey trend requires placing honey inside a plastic container and then sticking it in the freezer for at least 8 hours. Because of honey’s high sugar content, the honey won’t fully freeze while it’s inside the freezer.
Instead, it will turn into a thick, gel-like paste. The trend is to then squeeze out the frozen honey in order to take a bite.
Of course, a mouthful of nearly pure sugar is every dentist’s worst nightmare. Many of the dentists that have spoken out have warned that it is terrible for your oral health. The high sugar content can definitely cause cavities. But worse, dentists are warning that chewing frozen honey could actually cause your teeth to break!
Oral hygiene isn’t the only concern, either. While many of the people who partake in the trend have called it delicious, there are also a fair few who report that it really upset their stomachs. One of the side effects that TikTokers have claimed is diarrhea. One dietitian, Kristin Kirkpatrick, has shared that this side effect is a result of fructose malabsorption. Fructose malabsorption is also known as dietary fructose intolerance, and it affects about 1 in 3 people.
Explaining to NBC News, Kirkpatrick said, “Honey is great, but having it in small amounts to sweeten is really a healthy relationship with food, and using it to get a lot of followers and a lot of attention and having it in excess amounts is crazy.”
While stomach pain and diarrhea are common side effects reported by those engaging in the frozen honey trend, Kirkpatrick believes that there are no long-term effects that come from eating a huge amount of honey at one time.
However, there is a slight risk of botulism if someone eats too much raw honey.