Advice on Teeth Whitening Discussion Thread

welshdent

DubPrincess wrote: »

I'm confused, I'm guessing that's a bad thing? Yet in an earlier post (2005) someone asked if bicarb is harmful to gums and you answered "no-it's fine", why didn't you also mention the enamel stripping?

In addition to what brook said ... the comment you refer to is related to gums which it is indeed ok for ... but enamel is a hard tissue and it is abrasive to that

DubPrincess

welshdent wrote: »

In addition to what brook said ... the comment you refer to is related to gums which it is indeed ok for ... but enamel is a hard tissue and it is abrasive to that

I did mention that it was a question about gums but as Toothsmith has shown to know a lot in this area I just wondered why he didn't also mention the enamel strippingness to the person who was obviously going to try using it

Anyway thanks for the replies xx

brook2jack

Another illegal whitener has been successfully prosecuted
https://m.facebook.com/StampOutIllegalToothWhitening?id=592837014076636&_rdr
lorna Jamous had been whitening teeth on the basis of a couple of hours training. It is illegal for anyone other than a dentist or dental therapist/hygienist working to a dentists prescription , to whiten teeth.

she has been found guilty in the high court on appeal and is remitted back to Westminster magistrates court for sentencing.

If you are thinking about having your teeth whitened read the following for what to look for http://www.gdc-uk.org/Membersofpublic/Illegalpractice/Pages/Tooth-whitening.aspx

Toothsmith

That link doesn't seem to work Brook.

Even copied and pasted it doesn't seem to go anywhere

brook2jack

Hopefully that's fixed. For some reason I can't post official details. Basically she got off at magistrates court but gdc took it to high court and she was found guilty on appeal. She has been prosecuted for illegal practice of dentistry. The defense appears to have been as she did the usual beauticians couple of hours training she was qualified.

Unfortunately her website is still up but not for much longer.

The significance is this is the first case where the defendant plead not guilty so is the test case the gdc wanted. All the previous convictions plead guilty.

Teethwhiteninguk

It will be very interesting to read the full court transcript, when received.

As with previous cases, the full facts are never revealed by the GDC.

For the avoidance of any doubt, the legislation requires no training or dental supervision for products available legally to non-dentists.

Furthermore, dentists have breached the cosmetic regulations for many years and have been in breach of their own code of practice. Many have used and continue to use 25% Hydrogen Peroxide in flagrant breach of the law.

http://www.gdc-uk.org/Membersofpublic/Illegalpractice/Documents/Tooth%20whitening%20position%20statement%20FINAL%202012.pdf

Prior to 1/11/12, dentists were not permitted to use more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide.

Any gloating about prosecutions on this site will appear to be inappropriate and unprofessional to the ordinary man.

brook2jack

If you have proof a dentist is using 25%hydrogen peroxide then report them to the GDC. The law is Crystal clear on this and all systems containing over the legal limit were withdrawn from the market and in the case of some e.g. zoom reformulated to comply with legislation.

Prior to this dentists did suspend tooth whitening but agreement was made with trading standards standards in 2011 that dentists only could continue to use hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth http://www.mddus.com/mddus/news-and-media/news/june-2011/row-over-teeth-whitening-resolved.aspx

Anyone who is aware of the multitude of people harmed by illegal tooth whiteners (according to babtac and habia who represent beauticians over 400 cases including one lady whose asthma was made permanently worse) will welcome the prosecution of people who have inadequate training, knowledge, cross infection controls, and are putting chemicals strong enough to change the colour of teeth inside one of the most delicate parts of the body often resulting in pain and damage.

There is no nationally recognised qualification in tooth whitening..... any one can set themselves up as a tooth whitener on the basis of a couple of hours "training" .

Any sensible person should be glad that the GDC are following their remit which is to protect the public.

For information the governing council of the GDC is 50% dental professional (dentists,nurses,hygienists,technicians) and 50% lay people ie members of the public. Their statutory duty is to protect members of the public and so their working is overseen by parliament and the privy council.

emsywoo123

I'm so sorry, I can't read 2148 posts :eek:

Those in the know, are there any "off the shelf" treatments that are safe and effective? Or is it really a dentist only job?

Toothsmith

Off the shelf legal stuff doesn't do anything other than possibly reduce a bit of staining if you're lucky.

Internet stuff could be anything from useless to dangerous, most likely the latter.

Non-dentist beautician whiteners are illegal and dangerous.

emsywoo123

Toothsmith wrote: »

Off the shelf legal stuff doesn't do anything other than possibly reduce a bit of staining if you're lucky.

Internet stuff could be anything from useless to dangerous, most likely the latter.

Non-dentist beautician whiteners are illegal and dangerous.

Thank you.

Likely dentist cost to do it? (She asks, while sitting down......;) )