Dangerous Teeth Whitening Products Being Sold Online

Tue, 04 Mar 2008

Dental patients are putting their teeth and gums at risk by applying for online home whitening kits, the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) has warned.

The group stressed that such kits, which are widely available on the internet, contain dangerous levels of toxic hydrogen peroxide, which can cause damage and burns teeth and gums and be dangerous to consumers' health, according to EU recommendations.

The recommendations state that the chemicals used to whiten teeth should not exceed the 6 per cent level for hydrogen peroxide if sold for home use, even when prescribed by dentists .

But the BACD has warned that many online sources are selling teeth whitening kits that contain much higher levels of the bleaching substance.

In addition, the EU has also recommended that to ensure patient safety and the suitability of the teeth-whitening procedure, a consultation with a qualified dentist is required.

A spokesperson for the BACD said: "These websites that sell ‘professional' whitening kits with more than 6 per cent hydrogen peroxide are unsafe and if the government follows the EU guidance, it will soon be completely illegal."

"They are sold as ‘safe' but can easily harm someone, especially if a dentist has not advised the patient on whether their teeth are even suitable for whitening."

"The public must understand that these gels, with such a high amount of chemicals, could burn people's gums or damage teeth permanently," added the spokesperson.
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