Consult a dentist before doing it

SINGAPORE - Besides dental clinics, beauty salons are also offering teeth-whitening services.

But dentists say it is important to have a proper oral examination before teeth are whitened.

When human resources manager Joyce Lim went to a beauty salon to have her teeth whitened, she experienced pain - which persisted for a few days - during the treatment.

The 36-year-old visited a dentist for help, and was diagnosed with chemical irritation.

"The whitening gel had spilled over to the back and burnt my gums," she said.

A subsequent check also found that she had gum disease, which should have been treated before the whitening.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Singapore Dental Council have not received any official complaints of injury or trauma as a result of teeth whitening in a non-dental setting.

However, they are "monitoring and reviewing the situation". Members of the public or dentists who may have encountered such cases are urged to lodge a complaint so that claims can be investigated.

Those considering teeth-whitening procedures are advised to consult their dentists first, said a spokesman for MOH.

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