Skincare expert reveals how this tooth brushing routine may be causing acne

‘I’m never doing this again’

A skincare expert has revealed the wrong way brushing your teeth may lead to acne breakouts.

Dr Mehss, a medical student from Turkey, has gone viral on TikTok for the skincare tips she shares with her 743,000 followers. Earlier this month, she went viral once again when she shared how the order in which you brush your teeth could be the cause of acne breakouts.

In a TikTok with 5.1m views, Dr Mehss showed pictures of patients with pimples around their chin, mouth, and jawline.

“POV: You brush your teeth after washing your face,” she wrote over the clip.

In her video, Dr Mehss claimed that cleansing before brushing your teeth can cause the bacteria from the teeth to spread around the mouth and face, resulting in acne. The skin expert also said that left-over toothpaste may lead to dryness or skin irritation.

“If you brush your teeth after washing your face, you may be doing your skin a disservice,” she captioned the viral TikTok. “Residual toothpaste that dribbles onto your chin may cause your skin to dry out or become irritated, and some of the active ingredients in toothpaste can cause breakouts. Dermatologists and dentists agree brushing your teeth should always come before washing your face.”

While putting toothpaste on a problem pimple has been an age-old acne trick for years, dermatologists suggest that the chemicals in toothpaste can lead to breakouts on the face. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is one of the most common ingredients found in toothpaste. A 1983 safety assessment study of SLS published in the International Journal of Toxicology found that SLS isn’t harmful if used briefly and rinsed from the skin. However, the report suggested that continuous skin exposure to SLS could cause mild to moderate irritation.

Dr Joshua Zeichner, dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Well + Good in 2019: “SLS is the prototypical sulfate ingredient that has been removed from sulfate-free products. It’s a known irritant, causing skin inflammation. It used to be used commonly in cleansers and toothpaste because it acts as a surfactant to help remove dirt from the skin and gunk from teeth.”

Many TikTokers were shocked to learn from Dr Mehss’s viral video that their tooth brushing routine may be the cause of their breakouts.

“So basically everything I do is wrong,” joked one user.

“My jaw dropped,” said someone else. “I’m never doing this again.”

A third person wrote: “Omg this explains so much I always have a dry rash there especially before bed after I’ve brushed my teeth”

While acne is a given during the glory days of puberty and adolescence, adults can also get acne – ranging from the occasional pimple to a serious breakout. In fact, there are many different types of acne, such as those that are caused by bacteria or ones that are a result of changing hormones.

There are many other causes of acne besides just hormones or one’s tooth brushing habits. Increased stress, high glycemic index foods, or even makeup can lead to a breakout.

The Independent has contacted Dr Mehss for comment.