THE DANGERS OF UNLICENSED TEETH WHITENING

With the dawn of the internet there has been a surge in the sale of ‘tooth whitening kits’ direct from the internet as well as unlicensed treatment at beauticians, gyms or pop up shops in shopping centres. These practices are both illegal and dangerous and a simple google search will show you why - with thousands of documented incidents every year.

The legal maximum strength of whitening gel that can be used by qualified dentists is 6% hydrogen peroxide, but we normally use lower strengths than this to minimise any discomfort for patients. Use of whitening products stronger than this can cause a lot of damage including ulceration and destruction of gums and damage to the teeth themselves. There have been whitening products found for sale illegally in the UK with strengths of up to 33%!

So what should you look for when looking into having whitening?

  1. Legally in the UK the only people who can prescribe a course of whitening are qualified dentists registered with the GDC (take a look at our dentists). ANYONE PRACTISING WHITENING WHO DOES NOT MEET THESE CRITERIA IS PRACTICING ILLEGALLY. If you have any concerns about anywhere selling whitening products that shouldn’t you can report them here. The BBC recently did a piece on unlicensed tooth whitening you can read here.

  2. Any whitening products you are given should not exceed 6% hydrogen peroxide however there is a variant whitening material called carbamide peroxide which can be used at higher strengths as it is more gentle to teeth.

  3. We would also recommend the use of a properly certified lab which you can check with your dentist when you have your whitening trays fitted. Most labs issue a certificate of authenticity to confirm that any appliance has been made to a high standard using high quality materials.

As long as it is conducted by a professional dentist who knows what they are doing whitening is an exceptionally safe and low risk procedure so don’t be tempted by rogue traders - it will cost you more in the long run!

To discuss this and other tooth aesthetic treatments with us please call or book a consultation