Illegal teeth-whitening is leaving people with ‘horror burns and missing teeth’
ILLEGAL teeth-whitening is leaving people with life-changing burns and missing teeth, a shocking new investigation has revealed.
An undercover study, from the BBC, found that the number of unqualified beauticians offering illegal teeth-whitening in the UK has surged by 26 per cent in the past year.
Teeth-whitening can only be performed legally in the UK by professionals registered with the General Dental Council (GDC).
And failure to comply with this requirement to be registered can result in a criminal record and an unlimited fine.
However, experts found one beauty school had provided "thousands" of untrained beauticians with illegitimate qualifications.
They found many untrained beauticians have been using teeth-whitening kits that can cause tooth loss, burns and blisters.
It comes after we told how a mum-of-two was left with a "botched lip filler" pout after suffering an allergic reaction to a £60 teeth-whitening session.
Clare Clark was horrified when her lips ballooned after she decided to have the treatment, which she spotted on Facebook from a beautician close to home.
Dr Ben Atkins, president of the Oral Health Foundation, said: "When things go wrong in dentistry, they can really go wrong.
"I've been that dentist with the full back up service when the patient's had that heart attack.
"It would be catastrophic for the patient and the person who's been trained and told it's legal to do it."
In 2019, 732 cases of illegal teeth-whitening were reported to the GDC, a 26 per cent increase from 582 in 2018.
The number could be much higher, however, as the dentists' regulatory body relies on reports from customers.
The GDC said it had launched 126 prosecutions against illegal teeth-whiteners since 2015.
It lacks the powers to prosecute those performing training, such as those filmed by the BBC.
Who can do teeth-whitening?
Teeth-whitening is a form of dentistry and should only be carried out by a dentist or another regulated dental professional, such as a dental hygienist or dental therapist, on the prescription of a dentist.
Some beauty salons offer teeth-whitening, but this is illegal if there's no dental professional present, and it may put your oral health at risk.
You can also buy DIY home teeth-whitening kits but these may also carry risks.
Any dentist can whiten teeth as long as they're registered with the General Dental Council.
Registered dental therapists and dental hygienists can also carry out teeth whitening on the prescription of a dentist.
To find out if a dental professional is registered with the GDC you can check the online register or call 0207 167 6000.
Source: NHS
The BBC's Inside Out show uncovered several companies offering just a few hours of training for fraudulent qualifications.
One included the London School of Nails and Beauty, where attendees were told they could earn "from £80 upwards per session" after receiving a certificate, which they were told would allow them to set up their own business to treat customers.
Attendees were also not given any training on emergencies during this course.
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School principal Cha McDonald said the process was "legal" because customers would be asked to carry out parts of the procedure themselves.
A spokesperson for the General Dental Council said: "Handing an individual a tooth whitening tray and advising them on application, amongst other things, could constitute the giving of 'advice or attendance' and in those circumstances would be a criminal offence."
The British Dental Association (BDA) said "sham" schools preyed "on vulnerabilities of beauticians and others".