The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has acted to stop the supply of nine home-use teeth-whitening products containing what it says are unsafe concentrations of peroxide.
The commission is concerned that the high concentrations of peroxides used in these products has resulted in injuries such as chemical burns in the oral cavity, according to ACCC commissioner Sarah Court.
"The ACCC has identified a number of products which exceed safe peroxide limits and has negotiated recalls to remove these products from the marketplace," Court said in a press release.
To date, the ACCC has negotiated recalls of the following
- White My Bite Sensitive
- White My Bite Professional
- White My Bite Advanced
- DayWhite teeth-whitening gel
- NiteWhite teeth-whitening gel
- Sunshine Health teeth-whitening gel
- Crest teeth-whitening strips
- DaVinci Elite tooth-whitening pen
- DaVinci Elite take-home teeth-whitening kit
The ACCC recently notified all known suppliers of home-use teeth-whitening kits that products containing concentrations of more than 6% hydrogen peroxide or more than 18% carbamide peroxide are unsafe and should not be supplied to consumers.
The commission undertook a market survey of home-use teeth-whitening kits after receiving reports of injuries associated with these products. In addition to chemical burns, other reported injuries have included blistering or ulceration of the mouth and throat, tooth sensitivity, marbled or unnaturally colored teeth, tissue tingling, and headaches, according to the ACCC.
Safe limits for these active bleaching agents are based on the requirements of the Poisons Standard 2011, expert clinical advice published by the Australian Dental Association and a scientific risk assessment published by the European Union's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products.
Further recalls are likely, according to the ACCC.
