Public hearing on whitening products to be held in New Zealand
A public hearing on whitening products will be held in New Zealand. The Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) will host the hearing in Wellington on April 12th.
The hearing will focus on the sale of certain over the counter whitening products and the rules surrounding the use of hydrogen peroxide. The authority will investigate whether or not the sale of certain whitening products should be restricted and sold only under the direction of a qualified, trained dentist. It is expected that whiteners which contain more than 3.6 percent hydrogen peroxide could be banned under new measures introduced after the hearing.
Officials from the Health Ministry and the Dental Council asked for a public hearing after concerns were raised over the safety of some whitening products; recently, there has been an increase in the number of teenagers using whitening strips and abusing over the counter whitening products and this has caused concern amongst health experts. Hydrogen peroxide can cause sensitivity and irritation of the gums in the short-term, but excessive use can cause damage to the protective enamel surfaces of the teeth, which leaves the teeth susceptible to damage and decay.
The move to introduce new measures to protect consumers has been backed by the Health and Disability Commissioner.
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