Barrington Armstrong-Thorpe, a U.K. man who sold teeth-whitening products containing illegal levels of peroxide, has been sentenced to 16 month in jail, according to a report by the BBC.
According to European Commission regulations, teeth-whitening products containing or releasing more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide cannot be provided directly to consumers in the U.K. Some of the whiteners Armstrong-Thorpe sold online contained up to 103 times that amount, the BBC noted.
His company, Smile Brighter Marketing, began selling whitening products in 2005. After being warned in 2007 by the Bath Trading Standards that his product was illegal, he continued to sell it. Essex Trading Standards contacted him in 2009 and an investigation was opened, although he continued to sell the product during that time.
Armstrong-Thorpe was convicted under the Cosmetic Product Regulations 2008 Act and has been ordered to forfeit the rest of his stock of teeth whitener, according to the BBC.
