ONLINE TEETH WHITENING KITS CAN CONTAIN 250 TIMES RECOMMENDED DOSE OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE.

In order to save money having tooth whitening carried out at the dentist; an increasing number of people are turning to online kits designed to be used at home.

Some of these kits use very high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, in some cases 250 times the legal limit. Others use bleaches that are ordinarily only used when cleaning swimming pools.

Even those within the recommended limits can cause severe damage to gums, requiring surgical grafting, when people leave the teeth and gums exposed for too long to the bleaching chemicals.

Trained professionals make assessments and are able to inform patients as to the risks involved before treatment. It is important that people considering using home whitening kits should ensure that they talk to their dental practitioners about the suitability of using them. If patients do go ahead it is important that they follow the instructions carefully and do not over-expose their teeth and gums to the potentially corrosive effects of the chemicals involved.


Article in the Daily Telegraph is here.

Tooth whitening kit... By Teethguru - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,