The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood and her infectious smile—complete with a prominent pair of ‘buck teeth’—have dominated conversations online for weeks now. Wood’s embrace of her smile stands in stark contrast to a culture obsessed with veneers, Invisalign braces, and other cosmetic treatments designed to disguise natural imperfections. Instead, she has learned to lean into what makes her unique, jokingly noting that “no Americans have my teeth.”

Yet, a dangerous trend has emerged on social media, in which young fans of the Sex Education alum are trying to file their teeth to copy her look. This has led Wood and dental experts to warn Gen Zers about the dangers of at-home teeth filing. Here are the details:

“I mean, I can’t believe the impact my teeth are having,” Wood revealed during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show on Sunday 23 March 2025.

@itsyourlittyfriend

Aimee Lou Wood’s teeth are famous #thewhitelotus #aimeelouwood #teeth #famous #jonathanross

♬ original sound - Litty!

“Because the Americans can’t believe [my teeth], but they’re all being lovely,” Wood continued.

The actor noted that she’s seen videos of orthodontists analysing her teeth and “dissecting what is wrong” with them. However, those clips still ended with the doctors saying: “But then they go like ‘We don’t think she should change a thing.’”

Considering that the actor has confessed to struggling with accepting her teeth while growing up, spending years trying to straighten them, it was heart-warming to see how much this praise was healing these old wounds.

@veneercheck

Replying to @MariaR #greenscreen #aimeelouwood #whitelotus #veneercheck

♬ original sound - Dr. Sara

@drtejaspatel

#greenscreen Cosmetic dentist reacts to white lotus star Aimee Lou Woods smile and teeth #whitelotus #dentist #reaction #smile #celebrity #teeth

♬ original sound - Dr. Tejas Patel Veneers

@socopdo

The WHY behind Aimee Lou Wood’s teeth being the way they are. If your child is presenting with teeth like this you will want to seek out an orthodontist, myofunctional therapist or get them into acting lol #aimeelouwoodteeth

♬ original sound - Dr. Ashley | Braces Tips

Wood continued: “It feels so lovely. A real full-circle moment after being bullied for my teeth, forever.”

Still, The White Lotus star also recognised the dangers of setting a new beauty standard, specifically in a culture of hyper-fixation with celebrities: “I hope that people don’t start like filing their teeth so they have gaps.”

Unfortunately, this is exactly what is happening.

Social media users have looked to different platforms for DIY (Do It Yourself) techniques to achieve their desired look without the hefty dental price tag of a professional dental procedure.

Some TikTokers have resorted to using nail files to smooth or shape tooth edges, with the hashtags #teethfiling and #teethfile appearing in more than 130 posts.

Although it may seem like a quick fix, filing teeth at home is very damaging.

“The lack of professional guidance in these DIY techniques often results in harmful mistakes. What seems like a quick, inexpensive fix can leave your teeth in worse condition or appearance than before,” Dr Kelcey Loveland, a dentist from affordable orthodontists Celebrate Dental and Braces commented.

It should be stressed that, unlike nails, teeth don’t grow back once filed down.

“Filing at home removes enamel, which doesn’t grow back. Without enamel, teeth become more sensitive and vulnerable to decay, compromising the appearance of your smile. If you’re concerned about uneven teeth, a dentist can professionally and safely contour them.”

So, instead of trying to copy Aimee Lou Wood’s smile, maybe the real lesson here is that there’s no one ‘right’ way for teeth to look, especially if it will cost netizens outrageous amounts of money or the health of their teeth.