Town Halls warn about dangerous DIY teeth whitening kits
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- Published: Monday, 04 April 2016 07:37
- Written by News Editor
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The Local Government Association (LGA), representing more than 370 councils in England and Wales, is warning about dangerous DIY teeth whitening kits containing bleaching agents that massively exceed the maximum legal levels and are putting people's health at risk. The GDC has welcomed the LGA’s statement.
The Local Government Association (LGA) says that access to teeth whitening kits is fuelling a worrying number of unqualified staff to carry out the treatment, including at beauty salons, with some using banned products in the procedure. They are calling for tougher penalties on those selling dangerous kits and on unqualified teeth whitening practitioners, and for government to raise consumer awareness of the dangers of both illegal operators performing the treatment and home-based kits with dangerous amounts of bleach.
One council alone has seized more than 15,000 dangerous teeth whitening kits - bound for shops, salons and homes - in nine months. Some of the kits contained more than 33 per cent hydrogen peroxide. The maximum legal limit for use by the public in the UK is 0.1 per cent, or 6 per cent for dentists and other registered practitioners.
Last month saw four illegal practitioners prosecuted for carrying out or advertising teeth whitening services and seizures of dangerous products have included hauls containing thousands of items worth more than £500,000. Some of those prosecuted were unaware they were breaking the law – including a former NHS nurse who advertised teeth whitening services on Facebook, wrongly believing that completing a course certified him to practise.
Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA's Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “People need to be made more aware of the laws and dangers on teeth whitening, with rogue practitioners given tougher sentences and larger fines. Illegal DIY teeth whitening kits may promise fast results and a brighter smile but those containing dangerous levels of hydrogen peroxide are the equivalent of brushing with bleach and can put oral health at risk.
"Trading standards are determined to remove any DIY teeth whitening kits with dangerous levels of hydrogen peroxide from the market and will always seek to prosecute those involved in making and selling them. These whitening kits are enabling unlicensed practitioners, including some beauty salons, to cash in on the treatment, and some are using illegal gels. Anyone considering having their teeth whitened should only have it done by a dentist or another regulated dental professional."
Commenting on the LGA announcement, Ian Brack, Interim Chief Executive at the General Dental Council, said: “We welcome the LGA highlighting the issue of illegal tooth whitening. The law is very clear: only a registered dental professional should carry out tooth whitening. People who are unregistered do not have the skill, knowledge nor, indeed, the training to perform tooth whitening safely. Only dentists and dental care professionals have the appropriate training and are sure to use products with safe levels of hydrogen peroxide.
"We are here to protect the public and we do take action against individuals who break the law by offering tooth whitening services, or claim to have received training when they must be on our register of dental professionals. We always advise patients to consult their dentist and check the GDC's register before you agree to any tooth whitening treatment. Not doing so creates the risk of permanent damage to your teeth."
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