This story originally ran in The Environmental Magazine.
In the past, only movie stars had blinding, bright-white teeth. Now, cosmetic dentistry has gone mainstream. “As we baby boomers get older, it’s one of the easiest ways to look 20 years younger,” says Dr. Kimberly Harms, an American Dental Association (ADA) spokesperson, of the current teeth whitening craze. “You can’t do that with many other body parts.”
Cosmetic dentistry has become a billion-dollar industry. Dentists have “smile boutiques” in their offices. They’re taking marketing courses and producing high-end toothpaste blends. Entrepreneurs are setting up teeth-whitening clinics in spas, hotels, and drugstores. Women can get package deals on teeth whitening, lip plumpers, and Botox.
As many people sink their teeth into bleaching trays full of chemicals, consumers are left to wonder: Is this trend safe?
Teeth whitening worries
According to Harms, most of the teeth-whitening products contain some form of hydrogen peroxide, a common household chemical. “There’s no evidence that it’s unsafe for anybody,” Harms says. “But if you’re pregnant, it just makes common sense to wait.”
But according to health experts, teeth-bleaching products have very little oversight. Since they are not classified as drugs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate them, meaning long-term safety data doesn’t exist. Story continues ...
