Questionable Teeth Whitening Methods Reported in UK

Teeth whitening methods in the UK were reported as “Illegal” but at least very questionable or unsafe. The complaint was found in BBC News reports covering this issue.

Summary of Story

This story is about ”untrained” salon staff (in other words, non-dental staff) who carry out teeth whitening measures that a dentist would normally perform. The other matter involves using a dangerous substance called chlorine dioxide.

Word of usage of this chemical for dental bleaching was disclosed by James Goonik, director of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

He says that three of the clinics were reported to have treated  people with chlorine dioxide. This is a process that is considered illegal for non-dentists by the General Dental Council (GDC).

Additional concerns were set in place as well. One of the largest involves the use of hydrogen peroxide levels that are well above safe limits for use in the mouth.

Further Explanation

The problem with chlorine dioxide is that it can strip the natural enamel of the teeth.  This could lead to faster tooth decay as well as sensitivity of the teeth.

However, the only problem is not just the harmful effects on humans. There also are issues of discrepancies involving non-medical staff performing teeth whitening procedures. The one that most comes to mind is the fact that it is perfectly legal in the UK (as well as in other places of the world) to use certain at-home whiteners that have a high concentration of peroxide in them. However, it is not legal for someone who is not employed as a dentist to perform this procedure on others.

Conclusion

This concern is not just in the UK. All over the world people are using concentrations of teeth whitening agents that are potentially dangerous. At the very least they can cause redness, irritation, and sensitivity. People have to be careful which product they use.

It is best to use a product that has a concentration of approximately 6% to 10% hydrogen peroxide or a product that has perhaps 10 to 20% carbamide peroxide. The standards may be different depending upon where you live in the world and different in the UK than  in the U.S. This is an approximate value of safety regarding oral bleaching solutions used.

Regarding the illegality of allowing non-dentist staff to perform these dental bleaching procedures…well…that is a separate issue entirely. Further action needs to be taken to improve the regulations surrounding this as well as to regulate home whitening safety.