In a study for the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, the Danish market for private use of teeth-whitening products was mapped. The products included braces, strips and pens, which were tested for the effect of their active substances. A chemical analysis and risk assessment of 25 products gave quite a discouraging result:
- two thirds of the products do not comply with the cosmetic regulation;
- half of the products pose a risk of irritation or corrosion of the gums or erosion of the tooth enamel;
- in several cases there is no documentation of the desired bleaching effect.
Some of the substances identified in the products included chlorite, boron and hydrogen peroxide. In some cases, the concentration of the last-mentioned substance exceeded the limit value.
The risk of negative effects is caused by products purchased from international as well as from Danish web shops.
The full study is described in the Danish Environmental Protection Agency's report Survey and risk assessment of teeth-whitening products for personal use. DHI made the risk assessments of the teeth-whitening products, and the chemical analyses were performed by the Danish Technological Institute.
You can get more information about teeth-whitening products from chief toxicologist Poul Bo Larsen, who is one of the co-authors of the report:
Poul Bo Larsen
pbl@dhigroup.com
Tel +45 4516 9478
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