Leading Dental Expert Issues Warning Over Illegal Tooth Whitening
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, has issued a warning to the public over illegal tooth whitening.
Dr Carter was speaking in light of the publication of survey figures, which revealed that more than 1 in 4 people would not go to a dentist for whitening treatment, preferring instead to choose cheaper treatments provided by beauticians and non-qualified practitioners working at kiosks in shopping centres and other leisure facilities.
The survey, which was carried out by Atomik Research on behalf f the British Dental Health Foundation, also revealed that 25 per cent of people believe that beauticians and kiosk staff have the relevant qualifications and training to provide whitening treatment.
Dr Carter said that tooth whitening is becoming more popular every year and this is partly due to the increased availability of the treatment and there is no doubt that millions of Britons are visiting practitioners who are providing whitening treatment illegally. Tooth whitening is a dental treatment and therefore dental experts believe that it should only be administered by qualified dental professionals.
Dr Carter said that beauticians do not have the relevant training and expertise to provide whitening treatment and as most treatments involve the use of hydrogen peroxide, which can cause damage to the teeth, members of the public are putting their health at risk by choosing not to see their dentist for treatment.
The survey was carried out as part of National Smile Month, an annual campaign, which is run by the BDHF to raise awareness of the importance of regular dental visits and good oral hygiene.
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