Whitening your teeth is the fastest way to improve their appearance, but it’s important to carry out the procedure safely to avoid damaging your oral health. A new BBC report has shown that the number of illegal teeth whitening procedures in the UK have risen by 26% over the past year – read on to find out why this is a big concern.
Teeth whitening and the law
Under UK law, teeth whitening can only be performed by professionals registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) and failure to comply can result in a criminal record and an unlimited fine. You may have seen beauty salons and shopping centre kiosks offering whitening treatments but giving in to the temptation to visit unqualified businesses can have lasting consequences for your health, including tooth loss, burns, and blisters.
Dr Ben Atkins, President of the Oral Health Foundation said, “The potential repercussions of having these treatments by a non-trained dental professional can be extremely dangerous. There could be a greater risk of infection and cross contamination, as well as permanent damage to the teeth gums, mouth and even the jaw.
“These are the kind of consequences that can last a lifetime, cause unnecessary pain and suffering, and are highly expensive to correct.”
Advantages of whitening at Cliftonville Dental
When performed under the supervision of a qualified professional, tooth whitening is one of the fastest and most effective ways to boost your appearance, instantly making you look younger and healthier. It’s a simple process that doesn’t require any anaesthetic or drilling and won’t harm or weaken your teeth. At Cliftonville, we use the Zoom teeth whitening system to safely lighten teeth by several shades, giving you a fresher, cleaner appearance.
- Custom whitening trays – Unlike the one-size fits all trays used by many salons and kiosks, we’ll take impressions of your teeth to create custom whitening trays that perfectly fit around your teeth and gums. This ensures that the whitening agents we use don’t leak, minimising the risk of damaging your gums and keeping the gel on your teeth to give you the best whitening results.
- Personalised treatment plan – Our experienced dentists can advise you on how to get the exact whitening results you are hoping to achieve. If you are interested in whitening in conjunction with one of the other cosmetic dental treatments we offer, we can work with you on a full smile makeover.
- Medical knowledge and experience – Tooth whitening is a very safe procedure, but having experienced professionals supervising their treatment gives our patients an element of reassurance. The team here at Cliftonville will be able to advise you if you experience tooth sensitivity or gum irritation and can monitor your treatment to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy and strong.
To book your complimentary tooth whitening consultation, contact one of our friendly team members today. We’re open 6 days a week, including evenings, for your convenience.