A recent article in The Telegraph has suggested that a generation of people growing up on social media are putting their teeth and oral health at risk as they are turning to illegal teeth whitening and teeth straightening products to achieve the ‘perfect smile’
In a letter to The Telegraph 1,000 dentists said that the public was increasingly being put at risk as rising numbers of young people were turning to illegal providers including beauticians, hairdressers and DIY kits to attempt to create the “perfect smiles” they had seen on Instagram and reality TV.
Only dentists or hygienists registered with the General Dental Council are supposed to offer these services. Unfortunately, an illegal ‘black market’ of tooth whitening and straightening is now widely available online and on the high street.
Whilst last year the General Dental Council (GDC) has successfully prosecuted at least five people for illegally offering teeth whitening without the necessary qualifications, this is only a tiny amount of the illegal providers out there, with many selling products from the internet. Trading Standards can prosecute any company using or supplying an illegal concentration of hydrogen peroxide for tooth whitening, but often the general public is ill-informed and not aware that they are buying an illegal product.
Watch ‘Illegal teeth-whitening courses put the public at risk’ on the BBC
The special training that GDC professionals receive ensures that they understand what is suitable (or not) for an individual patient. Receiving teeth whitening or teeth straightening from an unregistered source could result in major damage – to the tooth, the bones, the roots, and the nerves. Not only could this be permanent, but it could be very painful too.
At FHDC we provide two teeth whitening services…
Enlighten Combination Teeth Whitening is our premium service that combines a course of home teeth whitening with a boost of stronger whitening in surgery which is applied by either a dentist or dental hygienist.
Boutique Teeth Whitening is a course of at-home teeth whitening that can be prescribed by a dentist but is a legal strength for a consumer to apply overtime at home.
Neither service will be prescribed by a dentist if they feel that a patient is not suitable for the treatment so FHDC clients can achieve their desired whiter smile knowing that they are in safe hands.
Teeth Straightening is only offered by trained dentists at FHDC. If you would like to make an appointment to discuss this, teeth whitening or any of our cosmetic dentistry services, please call us on 0113 2751323 or fill in the form via our contact page.
