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How safe is a bright smile?
Brussels, 4 April 2007. The use of tooth whiteners containing up to 0.1% hydrogen peroxide is safe. This is one of the conclusions of an opinion issued by the European Commission Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP). The Opinion on Hydrogen Peroxide in Tooth Whitening Products assesses whether tooth whitening products containing up to 6% hydrogen peroxide are safe and if they should be freely and directly available to consumers. At the request of the European Commission DG Health and Consumer Protection, GreenFacts has faithfully summarised this opinion on hydrogen peroxide. A short summary of the opinion was published today on http://copublications.greenfacts.org/en/tooth-whiteners/ in English, French, German, and Spanish. The full summary is available in GreenFacts’ copyrighted Three-Level Structure of increasing detail on the website of the DG Health and Consumer Protection: http://ec.europa.eu/health/opinions/en/tooth-whiteners/. Highlights of the SCCP Opinion Hydrogen peroxide is a highly reactive chemical, and swallowing a large dose can be lethal. When highly diluted, however, hydrogen peroxide solutions are non-irritant or mildly irritant. They are used in cosmetics as bleaches, for instance in dental products or hair products, and in medicines as disinfecting agents, for instance in products to treat mouth sores and in ear drops. People with certain genetic disorders are more vulnerable to hydrogen peroxide because their bodies cannot break it down effectively. The two most common side effects of tooth whitening products containing hydrogen peroxide are mouth irritation and increased tooth sensitivity to temperature changes. Although most studies agree that bleaching does not harm the enamel, some investigations report that it does harm the surface of the teeth and may affect the surface of fillings and other restorations. Also, hydrogen peroxide can contribute to the development of existing tumors. In the European Union, tooth whitening kits may only be sold freely to consumers if they contain no more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide. Conditional to approval by a dentist, proper use of tooth whiteners containing between 0.1 and 6.0% hydrogen peroxide is also considered safe. However, they are not considered safe enough to be sold over the counter due to potential harmful effects in the mouth. Prior to treatment, the specific situation of each individual should be evaluated by a dentist. In the USA tooth whitening kits are sold at higher concentrations than in Europe. About GreenFacts GreenFacts asbl/vzw is an independent, multi-stakeholder non-profit organization based in Belgium. Our mission is to bring complex scientific reports on health and the environment to the reach of non-experts. We publish two types of faithful summaries of scientific reports: GreenFacts Digests of scientific consensus reports (authorised by the GreenFacts Scientific Board), and GreenFacts Co-Publications (published at the request of contracting organizations). GreenFacts’ publications are freely available in several languages on www.greenfacts.org. Each publication is a faithful summary of an authoritative international scientific report. GreenFacts was created in 2001 by individuals from scientific institutions, environmental and health organizations, and businesses, who called for wider access to unbiased information on health and the environment. About SCCP The Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) was set up in 2004 by the European Commission to provide the Commission with scientific advice on the safety of consumer products (non-food products intended for the consumer). The SCCP advice is intended to enable risk managers to take the adequate and required actions in order to guarantee consumer protection. The SCCP addresses questions in relation to the safety and allergenic properties of cosmetic products and ingredients with respect to their impact on consumer health. It not only covers products such as toys, textiles, clothing, personal care products, and domestic products such as detergents, but also consumer services such as tattooing. About DG Health and Consumer Protection The role of Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General is to make Europe’s citizens healthier, safer and more confident. Over the years the European Union has established EU laws on the safety of food and other products, on consumers' rights and on the protection of people's health. The DG Health and Consumer Protection has the task of keeping these laws up to date. About Tooth Whiteners In the European Union, tooth whiteners are regulated by the Cosmetics Directive.Subscribe to our RSS Feed For further details visit www.greenfacts.org or contact Sandra Nebe
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