Hands up, who here has whacked a bit of toothpaste on spots in the past? While we know we probably shouldn't smear our skin in stuff that's designed to remove plaque and bacteria from our enamel, if it's a choice between a rager of a spot or drying that sucker out, a lot of us would choose the latter.

It's just that, skin is a sensitive, living organ, and teeth can naturally handle more abrasion than our delicate complexions, so… how good (or bad) of an idea is it to apply toothpaste on our blemishes, really? We asked two skin experts to spill the facts.

Why use toothpaste on spots?

No-one knows where the DIY treatment came from, but “using toothpaste on spots is a common home remedy that some people swear by," acknowledges Nurse Emma Wedgwood, skin specialist and founder of Emma Wedgwood Aesthetics. “The idea behind this practice is that toothpaste contains certain ingredients that can help dry out and reduce the size of the spot. However, it's important to exercise caution when considering this approach,” she adds.

Should you use toothpaste on spots?

Before you smear your spot in minty paste, it's worth bearing in mind that: “while some individuals may experience temporary improvement in their spots, toothpaste is not formulated or tested for use on the skin, and it may not be suitable for everyone,” Emma warns. "Some people could experience skin irritation, redness, or even an allergic reaction to the ingredients in toothpaste,” she adds.

Dr. Zainab Laftah, Consultant Dermatologist, GetHarley Clinician concurs: “Toothpaste might sound like a simple solution to treat spots but it’s likely to cause more harm than good. Toothpaste contains ingredients that can result in skin redness, itching, inflammation and burning," so approach with caution.