Dentists warn high street whitening products may seriously damage your teeth
28 February 2019, 12:21 | Updated: 28 February 2019, 12:38
The rise in demand for affordable whitening products has led to high street options that studies have found are damaging to teeth.
It's not hard to find an at home whitening kit on the high street these days, but many users are unaware of the damage that they can cause for your teeth.
Many of the kits contain hydrogen peroxide, an ingredient common in whitening products, and tests on five popular brands found they harm enamel.
The study was published in the British Dental Journal and found that damage was visible in tests on extracted teeth which had whitening products applied in line with the manufacturers instructions.
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They were looked at under an electron microscope which can pick out microscopic changes to the teeth and all showed changes.
The worst affected teeth were those treated with the "Brilliant 5-minute kit" and "iWhite instant teeth whitening".
Celebrity Dentist Dr Richard Marques of Wimpole Street Dental told Heart about the dangers of these kits and recommends that people rely on their dentist only for whitening.
He said: " These products potentially damage the teeth irreversibly. We therefore always recommend that patients have their teeth whitened only with a dentist. This is for several reasons:
- The dentist will only use dental grade teeth whitening gels that are safe and will not damage the teeth
- The dentist has a degree that takes at least five years to complete and has knowledge of the tooth and enamel in order not to damage it irreversibly
- The dentist also has medical insurance and training in case of any adverse reactions to the whitening process (although these are extremely rare)."
