Teeth whitening has rocketed in popularity over the past year. It’s a great treatment for boosting your smile – and even taking years off your age. If it’s carried out incorrectly, though, it can cause lasting damage to your teeth, which is why it’s so important to see a dentist first.
This week, BBC News reported that some home teeth whitening kits sold online were found to contain dangerous levels of a bleaching chemical called hydrogen peroxide.
Consumer group Which carried out the investigation, and discovered illegal levels of bleach in 21 out of 36 products tested. The worst had more than 300 times the recommended amount of hydrogen peroxide in it. All products have since been removed from sale by outlets including Amazon and eBay.
Products sold over the counter in the UK should contain no more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide, while the legal limit for professional dentists is 6%.
Six of the products tested by Which contained more than 10% hydrogen peroxide.
These findings are really shocking, and prove that it’s just not worth the risk of buying a teeth whitening product online. You never quite know for sure what’s in it, and what damage it could do to your mouth.
At Honour Health, our dentists are all fully trained in the use of hydrogen peroxide, and we know how to advise our patients about whitening their teeth safely and effectively.
We always carry out a full dental examination before going ahead with teeth whitening, to ensure your mouth is healthy. Then, before prescribing a teeth whitening kit for you to take home, we demonstrate how to safely apply the right amount of gel to your whitening trays. You should see results within four weeks.
Providers offering teeth whitening in the UK must be registered with the General Dental Council. This means if teeth whitening is offered on any premises without dental supervision, such as in a beauty salon, it’s simply illegal.
Don’t risk your smile. Leave it to the professionals!
To book a free consultation for teeth whitening at Honour Health, contact your chosen practice:
Jesmond – call 0191 281 3913 or email jesmond@honourhealth.co.uk
Stanley – call 01207 232 725 or email stanley@honourhealth.co.uk
Ponteland – call 01661 821 412 or email ponteland@honourhealth.co.uk