TEETH
WHITENING
Now we all know
the importance of healthy teeth and a nice big smile. So it's no
surprise that many people are going the 'American way' these days
and opting to have their teeth 'whitened'.
What may come as a surprise
though is that EU laws mean that many such treatments are 'technically'
illegal in the UK...
How common have these
'tooth-whitening' treatments become?
They've actually been around for a few decades now. Like
many things the trend for having our teeth pearly white originates
over the other side of the Atlantic. The Americans are mad about
having ultra straight, healthy looking white teeth. Many of the
techniques for this treatment were perfected over in the States.
And it seems, that not to be outdone over here, we've become quite
keen on the look too.
It's not purely a fashion
thing though is it?
No. Tooth colour is genetically determined,
like hair colour. But, unlike hair, teeth tend to darken naturally
with age. They can also become stained - through drinking tea and
coffee or smoking, and as well as that illness plays its part in
the colour of our teeth.
So tooth whiteners are useful
for dentists because they lighten teeth and improve appearance without
ruining natural tooth tissue, and they mean dentists don't have
to resort to using veneers. It's a costly process though - we're
talking hundreds of pounds here.
So what's the problem
with teeth-whitening then?
In a nutshell, it's the actual material
- the bleach should I say - that's used in teeth whiteners. Under
EU laws it's a criminal offence to 'supply' products with more than
0.1% hydrogen peroxide in them - tooth whitening agents usually
contain around 3.6% hydrogen peroxide. The EU say this is too high
and there are concerns this sort of level of peroxide could damage
teeth or gums. Dentists I should point out insist their techniques
are quite safe.
But are dentists 'supplying'
the material? Surely that's the company that makes the stuff?
Well the British Dental Association
has sought legal advice on this. It says that if a dentist is applying
tooth whitening products in exchange for payment, he or she would
be likely to be selling, and therefore 'supplying', the products.
So 'technically' dentists who are using tooth-whiteners are breaking
the law. I should add that patients who undergo this sort of treatment
are in no way liable!
But most dentists who've
always carried out teeth-whitening procedures are continuing to
do so aren't they?
It would seem so yes. British dentists
have been told they face criminal prosecution if they use tooth-whitening
treatments. This could mean a fine of around five thousand pounds,
or even a six month jail sentence. But so far things haven't gone
that serious. And it's thought trading standards officers will only
become interested in the supply of tooth-whitening material at a
dental practice if a patient comes forward with a complaint about
any other aspect of a surgery.
Adam Jaffa, who manages the
Gentle Dental Care dentist surgery in Belfast. says any move to
prosecute a dentist is an over-reaction.
So dentists don't have a problem with teeth-whitening procedures
then?
No. They say if the treatment
is used carefully, it's a very effective and simple, one-off treatment
for patients who want to see an improvement to the look of their
teeth. They feel that if patients want the treatment, then they
should get it. And that if the tooth whitening process is freely
used in the United States, and many other places, then why not here.
There's a feeling among some that this is petty bureaucracy.
What's the British
Dental Association doing about this?
All it can do is publish advice to dentists, explaining
the rules as they stand at the moment. It says there's nothing illegal
or unsafe about the 'technique' of tooth whitening. It's simply
that the supply of the products has 'by accident' become caught
by an EU Directive. But it wants its members to be aware that if
they are carrying out teeth bleaching, they're breaking the law,
and should do so at their own risk.
At the same time the BDA is
working with manufacturers to try to get the supply of tooth whitening
products back on the agenda of the European Commission advisory
groups to get the rules changed. But it's not known how long this
process will take.
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