The dark side of white teeth DIY whiteners can be dangerously addictive. By. Anna Maxted. Updated. Childrens craft kits a phrase so full of good intentions that it can be hard to reconcile it with the shouty, harassed, paint and gluecovered reality. Weve. Free Trial Anti Aging Products Best Anti Aging Cream Drugstore Free Trial Anti Aging Products Skin Tag Remover Collagen Hydrolysate Fiber. GMT, 1. 7 March 2. When my five year old son suddenly exclaimed Why are your teeth so dirty, Mummy, I knew it was time to do something. GPDP9rGL._SL1024__.jpg' alt='Free Trial Teeth Whitening Kits Uk News' title='Free Trial Teeth Whitening Kits Uk News' />Revitol Anti Aging Free Trial Mario Badescu Skin Care Products Reviews Skin Rejuvenation In Bangor Maine Sensitive Skin Care Kits Biogenesis Antiaging. Wrinkle Cream For Men 30 Day Free Trial How To Get Rid Of A Wrinkled Neck Wrinkle Cream For Men 30 Day Free Trial Dr Oz Best Wrinkle Cream Over Counter Revitol Skin. Free Trial Anti Aging Products Anti Aging Laser At Home Free Trial Anti Aging Products Homemade Skin Care Remedies Vaginal Rejuvenation Surgeons. Whitening your teeth is not safe and harmless. So, youve decided to seek the glamour of a movie star Years of drinking coffee, tea, or other dark colored. Years of drinking coffee and red wine had left my teeth stained and grey. It had bothered me Id started wearing only dark tops white made my teeth look lemon yellow and grimacing at friends through closed lips. But the dirty teeth comment was the final straw. That day, I made an appointment at a smart dental practice to have my teeth professionally whitened. Desperate for a perfect smile Learn about the potential side effect first. It set me off on a five year habit that was not only bad for my teeth, but possibly for my health. Initially, I was hoping for a smile to rival Tom Cruises and for close on 1,0. I think I had a right to optimism. The dentist showed me a chart of 2. Ninety per cent of the populations gnashers are classed as A3 a rather dirty yellow but mine were several shades darker, B3. I learnt that teeth darken and discolour for a number of reasons, including age as the collagen in our teeth degrades, or taking antibiotics such as tetracycline in childhood. First, the dentist applied a peroxide gel to custom moulded gum shields and placed them over my teeth. Then my teeth were bathed in blue light using a high tech torch for 4. It stung and I felt vain and foolish. Yet I returned two weeks later to have the process repeated. Still, when I assessed the results, my teeth had brightened by only a couple of shades. Id wasted my time and money. So it was a thrill to discover you can buy do it yourself teeth whitening kits over the counter or online for 1. Crack Baby Ice Cube Lyrics To No Vaseline. And the kits worked. Forget the Spandex pants if you want to look better instantly, whiten your teeth, you look younger and healthier, even if you arent I became obsessive, building up a stash of products. One of the first I bought required you to squeeze whitening gel into a gum shield and wear it for 2. Then a friend who lives in Los Angeles introduced me to a product which promised whiter teeth in five minutes. Free Trial Teeth Whitening Kits Uk News' title='Free Trial Teeth Whitening Kits Uk News' />You peeled a gel infused strip out of its packet and stuck it on your teeth. Moments later, your smile would practically glow fluorescent. The faster the effects, the better, as far as I was concerned. I was hooked. If I was invited to dinner, Id sneak upstairs minutes before we left our house. There Id sit quietly for five minutes bleaching my teeth with a gel infused strip. What have you got there my husband would call. Nothing Id reply. If I was collecting the kids from school and felt rather flat at the prospect of meeting hordes of elegant young mummies, Id think Ooh, Ill just do a quick whitenDays after whitening, my teeth would look dull and Id open another strip. Certain products irritated my gums, but I chose not to investigate. If I acknowledged the suspicion I might be damaging my teeth or gums, Id have to stop. I couldnt. In fact, the reason these products were so effective was because they were damaging my teeth. ALTERNATES/s1200/smiling-teeth.jpg' alt='Free Trial Teeth Whitening Kits Uk News' title='Free Trial Teeth Whitening Kits Uk News' />As dentist Martin Fallowfield, a spokesman from the British Dental Association, says Some DIY teeth kits, especially those available on the internet or from salons, contain the same acid that is used to disinfect swimming pools chlorine dioxide. This wont necessarily be listed on the label, but its a horrible ingredient these kits are terribly dangerous to teeth they get the whitening effect by etching the surface of the tooth. This effectively destroys the protective enamel, making teeth very sensitive. And in many cases they changes are permanent in extreme cases they can lead to the loss of the teeth, he says. The acid can cause chemical burns on the gums, further increasing the risk of losing teeth. Ironically, after all this, your teeth will also become even more discoloured thats because once the protective enamel has been damaged, the teeth are left exposed to the elements. They become stained easily by food and drink and turn brown. People have no idea what ingredients are in these home kits and what they could be doing to their teeth, says Mr Fallowfield. Unfortunately, Im far from the only teeth whitening addict out there. Last year, Britons spent 7. And while many people have their teeth professionally whitened by a dentist, others cant afford it and instead opt for treatment in a beauty salon, or resort to DIY treatments. Most DIY products use hydrogen peroxide this works by penetrating the porous enamel and oxidising stains the oxygen produced by the process reacts with the discoloured material on the teeth and chemically changes it. If the bleach containing mouth guards dont fit properly, the gel may come into extended contact with your gums. So, if the concentration of hydrogen peroxide is too strong, it can burn the soft tissue or even cause irreversible gum recession, exposing the root of the tooth and causing sensitivity. If you ingest a significant amount of the hydrogen peroxide gel, it can also burn the throat, stomach and gut. While many products contain hydrogen peroxide, others, such as toothpastes, use abrasive ingredients such as sand to polish off the stains. In some ways, these seem less risky the only problem is that if a product is too abrasive, enamel may be removed. So no chemical burns or gum recession then. Just damaged teeth. Ninety per cent of the populations gnashers are. A3 a rather dirty yellow but mine were several shades. B3. Learning all this, I decided to re check the ingredients on my kits, most of them sensibly purchased from Tesco and Boots. Hydrogen peroxide was common, but all the chemicals were, allegedly, enamel safe. How could that be The legal percentage of hydrogen peroxide permitted in these kits is 0. The problem for consumers is that such a weak percentage wont whiten properly, says Dr Linda Greenwall, author of Bleaching Techniques In Restorative Dentistry, and a lecturer worldwide in restorative dentistry. In other words, many of the products we are buying will not make our teeth permanently whiter, and are abrasive enough to cause harm if we use them year after year. Meanwhile, in one of my kits bought in the U. S. but available here online, the hydrogen peroxide concentration is just over five per cent and yes, it was the gel infused strips I so loved. Not only was I using a lot, but hydrogen peroxide penetrates the teeth swiftly, can be tough on your teeth, and the bleaching doesnt last that long. So you use it again, and again. But what about products that say they dont contain any hydrogen peroxide Dont be fooled, says Andrew Eder, professor of restorative dentistry and dental education at UCL Eastman Dental Institute. In at least one kit the ingredients contain chemicals such as carbamide peroxide that react with saliva to produce hydrogen peroxide. But if DIY is a worry, what about High Street salons offering teeth whitening as a cosmetic treatment performed by a beautician In the past three years alone, the General Dental Council GDC has received more than 6. The organisation classifies tooth whitening as dentistry, and so says it is illegal for anyone not registered with the GDC to perform the procedure. The organisation launches criminal proceedings in the High Court tomorrow against three individuals and two companies offering teeth whitening.