Dental Treatments Continue To Be Carried Out By Unqualified Staff

Tue, 27 Nov 2007

Illegal cosmetic dental treatments carried out by untrained staff in the UK have been criticised by a dental association.

A new survey by the BACD and Mintel found that only one in four Brits are happy with the state of their teeth, and as many as one in five people in the UK don’t even smile in photos because they’re embarrassed about their grin.

Findings also revealed that around 25 per cent of the population have tried some form of cosmetic dentistry, such as whitening treatments and bleaching and that people prefer wide, ‘toothy’ grins in females over more understated looks.

The survey coincides with a recent case in which 47-year-old Brit, Carla Regan, had treatment carried out on her teeth illegally by beauticians (the General Dental Council has determined that only a registered dentist can carry out teeth whitening) aboard a cruise ship in August.

Fortunately a leading dentist and Vice-President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry - Dr . James Goolnik - immediately noticed the damage done to Carla’s teeth once she got back to the UK .

He found that the surface of her teeth had been badly and permanently damaged, explaining Carla’s ‘dry mouth’ feeling as well as the constant staining.

He commented: "Her teeth look like they had been dipped in acid. It may not be immediately visible to the untrained eye, but her front teeth clearly have no surface shine when compared to the rest of her teeth ."

"The damage is permanent and we are currently assessing whether repair will involve more complex cosmetic procedures, such as bonding or porcelain veneers ."

Carla, a consultant from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, said: "The beauty salon on the ship was offering teeth whitening and I thought to myself, why not? It seemed like an appropriately indulgent to do on holiday – they promoted it as non-toxic and safe."

"However, a week later I noticed my teeth were starting to look stained, and with time they only got darker. I also constantly had a ‘dry mouth’ feeling, so I decided to see a dentist to tell me what could be wrong."

Dr. Goolnik added: "A quarter of Britons have had some form of cosmetic dentistry, and whitening is clearly a popular treatment – the rise in these problem cases illustrates why dental care, even purely cosmetic procedures, should only be provided by dentists with the proper training who can offer proven techniques and expertise."
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