Read what the British Dental Health Foundation say about this:
Beware illegal Tooth Whitening by salons and hairdressers – can spread diseases as well as harm mouths!

Reminder – dangers of salons, amateurs & cheap abroad tooth whitening

Reminder Warning – Dangers of Salons and Amateurs attempting Tooth Whitening in the UK !!!

While new law changes have put off some salon-type businesses from experimenting on the public, we know there are some who will still try to act illegally and dangerously for profit, risking public health at an individual and community level.

They don’t have to have Hepatitis B vaccinations, follow HTM01-05 hospital-level cleanliness or the many other high standards that dentists meet routinely. They are not properly regulated or inspected and can disappear without trace as soon as problems arise, which may only show up with blood tests later (for example, liver failure).

There has been at least one legal case of a non-dental professional making a patient’s asthma permanently worse by using whitening chemicals – they were sued for a large amount of money. Many other legal cases are waiting to sue for irreversible damage. Insurance companies often do not insure such dangerous or illegal activity.

The General Dental Council (GDC) states that only registered and properly trained dental professionals are legal, trained and safe to take account of your medical history, use whitening systems safely and provide proper cross-infection and sterilisation controls.

Please report anyone who is illegally practising dentistry in the UK by offering tooth whitening to the public, by contacting the GDC on 020 7167 6000 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Strangely, some members of the public don’t always report such salons or amateurs for failed whitening or possible disease transmission (AIDS, Hepatitis) – perhaps because they feel foolish or embarrassed having fallen for the “cheap” promises.

The same applies to internet products for tooth whitening – you simply don’t know what you are getting, whether it is sterile, contains waste chemicals or just harmful bleach or other poisons.

Why risk your health and well-being? It’s certainly not a bargain if “harm” was the free offer.

Yes, it is more expensive at proper dental clinics for a reason – not just our higher standards of training over many years, but also our higher standards of care, hygiene, legislation, real insurances, vaccinations and sterilisation.
We all want cheaper and better – but cheaper and worse isn’t clever at all.

In the meantime, why risk your teeth, gums or general health? Please be assured that we are properly qualified, have the dental expertise, competency and long track record to not only ensure your safety, but provide tooth whitening techniques that work best for you too.

Tooth whitening done safely and professionally by Dr. Kilcoyne at the SmileSpecialist® Centre, Haworth, Bradford, near Leeds.

Dr. Kilcoyne’s expertise in tooth whitening systems

Dr. Tony Kilcoyne is delighted to share his Specialist* knowledge of all tooth whitening techniques, including current power whitening, tooth bleaching and teeth whitening options, risks, benefits, lasers, lights and legal controversies in the UK and worldwide.

We discuss same-day power bleaching systems (such as Britesmile, Enlighten, Pola, Zoom 1, Zoom 2, Zoom Advance, Deep Bleaching, Laser etc.), tray gels of various concentrations that often take several weeks, and the much weaker products sold in UK shops that make big claims on the packaging but often greatly disappoint.

Even very dark teeth can be whitened the same day, using Dr. Kilcoyne’s decades of expertise, knowledge and experience in tooth whitening health, science and technology. His unique SmileSpecialist® tooth whitening materials and techniques can make all the difference.

Please note – all tooth whitening pictures featured here are Dr. Kilcoyne’s genuine original pictures, unaltered and untouched.

A more beautiful smile literally lights up a face and improves self-confidence dramatically. The effect can be greater than many other cosmetic facial treatments, that are also often temporary.

With *Dr. Kilcoyne, you gain extensive experience and expertise in the latest tooth whitening techniques and options, to benefit your smile in the safest way. It’s not just which system is used – it’s the experience and expertise of the operator that can make all the difference. For a second or specialist opinion about your smile, please use our Make Appointment link .

Over-the-counter “whitening” vs professional tooth bleaching

Why does tooth whitening seem to be claimed everywhere?
Tooth whitening refers to any form of tooth colour improvement and has been seized upon by various manufacturers – including toothpaste companies – to imply they actively whiten teeth significantly, when in reality they mainly reduce surface stains.

Over-the-counter products are much weaker than professional systems for safety reasons, so their advertising and packaging can be misleading. Over-promises appear in the headlines, with disclaimers in hard-to-find small print.

Once professional whitening procedures have been completed, these over-the-counter “whitening” products can help maintain improvements for longer by reducing staining. But there is a lot of marketing hype that needs to be put back into proportion.

Only dentist-prescribed tooth bleaching actually whitens tooth substance significantly and safely, using a high enough concentration of hydrogen peroxide in a neutralised form, applied carefully to avoid gums, old fillings and crowns, so as to prevent damage, sensitivity or nerve problems.

Do not use normal hydrogen peroxide or unknown chemical sources claiming to be tooth whitening gels in your mouth just because they are cheap – they could easily cause permanent damage to teeth, gums or worse.

Professional tooth whitening by a qualified dentist or suitably trained Dental Hygienist/Therapist is safe, can often avoid injections or tooth removal and has great social and psychological benefits when done well – avoiding the dental and health damage that non-dental professionals can cause.

Veneers, crowns, dentures – and why whitening often comes first

We usually advise trying tooth bleaching first, to avoid the need for drilling tooth away – or at least to minimise the amount of more complex cosmetic work needed. Tooth bleaching can reduce the perceived need for more invasive cosmetic dentistry and even some cosmetic facial surgery.

Please note – if you have had problems with tooth whitening from people or establishments not qualified as dentists, we may still be able to help you overcome severe sensitivity, damaged crowns/veneers, permanent gum damage, mouth ulcers or simply very disappointing or poor results.

Do not confuse professionally supervised tooth whitening by a qualified dentist, after a full examination, with the dabbling of hairdressers or ear-piercers who may do permanent damage with so-called “cheap” materials “just like the dentist uses”. Unlike hair, teeth do not grow back if ruined, and uncertified/online chemicals can also harm unborn babies or permanently worsen asthma.

Some problems can only be detected by a thorough examination by a dentist – including cross-infection risks. It doesn’t take five years at university to qualify as a dentist for nothing.

Other tooth whitening options – trays & professionally assisted bleaching

Other options to same-day tooth bleaching include using trays daily or nightly over longer periods. These may be cheaper initially but require multiple visits and can cause sensitivity when used for weeks, especially if you have receding gums or many fillings.

The pictures below show Dr. Kilcoyne teaching dentists how to construct these trays and how to apply the gel correctly to get optimum results.

Professionally assisted tooth whitening may be started at the dentist’s and then completed at home under instructions, using the materials your dentist provides. Typically this involves around 2 weeks of wearing bleaching trays nightly, using the prescribed bleaching gel. Resistant discolouration may need many more days/weeks of tray bleaching before a satisfactory result. Everyone is different and unique.

How much improvement can I expect? Sensitivity & 24-hour advice

Everyone differs in how their teeth respond and in the causes of discolouration. With our same-day treatments, we often see an average of 8–9 shade improvement in brightness, with a small loss of a couple of shades over the first few weeks and gradual changes thereafter.

Tray-based whitening typically achieves several shade improvements (4–5 shades on a dental shade guide), with some gradual darkening over time. Usually, the darker the teeth are to begin with, the greater the scope for improvement. Some stains (such as greys) are more resistant and may need longer bleaching, combined systems or, in some cases, veneers or crowns.

Sensitivity and the first 24 hours after same-day whitening

Some sensitivity is normal – usually short-lived (seconds) and on/off. If anything goes beyond short sensitivity, take your usual painkillers; it is rare to need further attention. If at all concerned, contact the treating dentist directly for advice.

Diet-wise you need to be “good” for 24 hours. Basically, for just 24 hours avoid anything in your mouth that would stain a white shirt or blouse on contact. For example:

• If you are a red wine drinker, swap to white wine temporarily.
• If you must have tea or coffee, drink through a straw and rinse with water afterwards.
• Prepare simple, relatively stain-free meals (chicken, white rice, fish without dark skin, bananas, semolina, etc.).

Before your visit, have any curry, red wine, coffee/tea and then be ready to follow “white” diet advice for the rest of that day.

Please remember that advice is different with trays worn over a longer period – problems such as chewing through trays or prolonged sensitivity may last longer or reduce improvements. Dr. Kilcoyne’s Power-Whitening is a clever but patient-friendly same-day treatment with a short 24-hour inconvenience but optimum results in the shortest time. Sometimes we combine in-surgery whitening with tray treatments at home, but only with your fully informed consent after a full examination and discussion.

Professional whitening, law & safety – why an expert exam matters

How does “professional” tooth whitening work?
Your dentist or specialist has professionally examined your teeth and mouth, considered your medical history and medications, and checked for complications such as receding gums, leaking fillings or mouth ulcers that could leave lasting problems if whitening is done incorrectly.

You will then be given an overall plan so whitening won’t make existing or future crowns, veneers and fillings worse. You’ll be prescribed the best bleaching concentration and application for your needs and wishes, and carefully monitored during and after treatment.

Unfortunately, European legislation historically limited over-the-counter bleaching strengths, creating legal grey areas for dentists using higher concentrations for purely cosmetic purposes. There has been much debate in the UK about the legal position on tooth bleaching, and the General Dental Council (GDC) has tried to balance patient interests and law sensibly.

The law changed from 1st November 2012, confirming that tooth whitening is dentistry and that only dental professionals, following a proper examination, should prescribe whitening treatments. Further detail on this – including GDC guidance and EU law interpretation – follows in the next section (see below in the legal/FAQ part of the page).

Frequently asked questions about tooth whitening

Here are some of the common questions we are asked by both the public and fellow professionals when Dr. Kilcoyne lectures on tooth whitening. We’ve also added a few extra questions that patients often ask in clinic.

Legal position on tooth bleaching in the UK & EU

In the early 2000s, European legislation about hydrogen peroxide products sold directly to the public was included in the EU “Cosmetic” directives. This limited non-dental products to very low concentrations and created a legal grey area for dentists using higher concentrations for purely cosmetic reasons.

For over a decade, UK dentists could theoretically be labelled “criminals” for using concentrations above 0.1% H₂O₂ for cosmetic whitening, even when acting in their patients’ best interests. The General Dental Council (GDC) recognised this ethical and moral dilemma and issued guidance that put patients’ interests first while the law caught up.

Fortunately, EU law was amended and in the UK the EU Cosmetics Directive changes took effect from 1st November 2012. In simple terms this confirmed that:

• Tooth whitening is dentistry
• Only a dental professional can examine you and prescribe tooth whitening treatments
• Only supplies of further gels between 0.1% and 6% hydrogen peroxide should be obtained via dental practices

There is still some debate about the precise interpretation of the law for wholly in-surgery treatments vs at-home “self-dosing” products, but broadly the intention has been to protect the public from unsafe self-use and non-dental providers.

For the latest official overview, please see the GDC’s own information: what the GDC says about tooth whitening and illegal practice .

At the SmileSpecialist® Centre we always act in our patients’ best interests, ensuring your Human Rights and non-discrimination are respected and that whitening – when appropriate – is offered as a conservative option to avoid unnecessary drilling or more invasive procedures, wherever possible.

Alternatives to tooth bleaching – and when they’re appropriate

Alternatives to professionally supervised bleaching gels (usually stronger than the 0.1% hydrogen peroxide cosmetic limit) are either:

• Very ineffective (most shop-bought “whitening” products in the UK)
• Potentially unsafe (e.g. sodium perborate, unregulated acids)
• More invasive – involving permanent removal of tooth substance

Some abrasive or acid-based systems (e.g. HCl + pumice) can remove surface staining but may roughen or thin enamel, leading to increased staining and sensitivity in the long term.

Restorative alternatives include various veneers and crowns. These can be an excellent choice if teeth are already heavily filled, broken, root-treated or need re-shaping and re-alignment as well as colour change. However, they are far more biologically “costly” than bleaching intact teeth.

The pictures above show how much tooth must be drilled even when a Specialist like Dr. Kilcoyne works very conservatively. Multiply this by 10 top and 10 bottom teeth, when whitening alone could have solved the colour issue, and you can see how tooth bleaching can save good tooth from being drilled away in many cases.

Our SmileSpecialist® conclusions on tooth bleaching

Professionally prescribed tooth whitening by dental professionals is proven to be safe and effective. It can:

• Save healthy tooth from unnecessary drilling for veneers or crowns
• Conservatively treat multiple teeth at once
• Improve self-confidence and psychological well-being far beyond a “cosmetic only” effect

There are some disadvantages to consider (for example, only natural tooth substance lightens) and potential serious side-effects if whitening is done without an examination (e.g. interactions with medications, asthma, gum damage, toothache, tooth loss). That is why proper dental assessment is essential.

When done by a competent and GDC-registered Dentist or appropriately trained Dental Care Professional, whitening still has some minor risks (such as temporary sensitivity), but any necessary preparatory work (leaking fillings, gum disease) can be addressed first so whitening doesn’t harm you overall.

Tooth whitening still leaves all other cosmetic options open (bonding, veneers, ceramic crowns, implants etc.) and often works best as part of a combined, carefully planned dental treatment plan to improve your smile and long-term dental health.

Whitening vs other cosmetic treatments – why the Smile comes first

Could one argue that a carefully planned tooth whitening and smile makeover can sometimes have more visible impact than some forms of cosmetic facial surgery, facelifts, botox or collagen implants? A more beautiful smile literally lights up a face and improves self-confidence dramatically.

Just imagine after a facelift and new hairdo, still having a dark black gap from a missing front tooth when you smile. Suddenly it doesn’t matter how nice the make-up or hairstyle is – that missing tooth or discoloured smile completely undermines the visual effect.

Whitening, combined with other carefully chosen dental treatments, can dramatically improve a smile relatively easily, often without “a load of veneers and crowns” to achieve it. Why not find out your options?

Patients travel from across the UK and beyond

At the SmileSpecialist® Centre we treat patients and teach techniques to professionals from across the UK and abroad: Leeds, Bradford, Yorkshire (North, West, South, East), Manchester, Central London, Preston, York, Stockport, Sheffield, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Halifax, Keighley, Haworth, the M25 area, Skipton, Harrogate, Airedale, Calderdale, Wokingham, Kew, Kent, Derbyshire, Bristol, Berkshire, Cheshire, Birmingham, Newcastle, Hull, Lincoln, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, the Midlands, Eire, Greater Manchester, Chester, Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, Stoke, Oldham, Bury, Blackburn, Cumbria, Liverpool, Teesside, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Europe, USA, Australia and Japan too.

Easy to Reach from Bradford, Leeds, Halifax & Beyond

The SmileSpecialist^® Centre is based at 9–13 Station Road, Haworth, BD22 8NL – opposite the steam railway station and near the new Co-op store.

Many people are willing to travel for the right expertise, safety and results – especially when it comes to their teeth and smile.

Information for international patients

For visitors from abroad, here is a brief description in several languages about our gentle American-style Britesmile tooth whitening system:

En Français:
Pour la dent blanchissant ou blanchiment cosmétique des dents pour un normal, un beau sourire plus blanc, rien bat notre système de blanchissement de puissance douce américaine de Britesmile. Ayez un sourire plus blanc en seulement une heure – aucunes aiguilles, exercices ou bruit! Aucuns plateaux incommodes. Veuillez téléphoner au R-U +44(0)1535 644005 pour le prix et promouvez l'information.

Auf Deutsch:
Für bleichenden oder Cosmetic Weiß werden Zahn den der Zähne für ein natürliches, weißeres schönes Lächeln, nichts schlägt unser amerikanische Britesmile leichte Energie-Bleichsystem. Haben Sie ein weißeres Lächeln in nur einer Stunde – keine Nadeln, Bohrgeräte oder Geräusche! Keine ungünstigen Behälter. Telephonieren Sie bitte Großbritannien +44(0)1535 644005 für Preis und weitere Informationen.

In Italiano:
Per il dente che candeggia o imbiancatura cosmetica dei denti per un naturale, il sorriso bello più bianco, niente batte il nostro sistema d'imbianchimento di potenza delicata americana di Britesmile. Abbia un sorriso più bianco in soltanto un'ora – nessun aghi, trivelli o rumore! Nessun vassoi inopportuni. Telefoni prego il Regno Unito +44(0)1535 644005 per il prezzo ed informazioni.

En Español:
Para el diente que blanquea o el blanquear cosmético de los dientes para un natural, una sonrisa hermosa más blanca, nada bate nuestro sistema que blanquea de la energía apacible americana de Britesmile. Tenga una sonrisa más blanca en solamente una hora – ningunas agujas, taladros o ruido! Ningunas bandejas incómodas. Llame por teléfono por favor Reino Unido +44(0)1535 644005 para el precio e información.

The importance of good aftercare and maintenance

As well as regular check-ups to your dentist to prevent problems (or at least catch them very early), please follow your aftercare advice, reduce sugar attacks and don’t neglect your toothbrushing and flossing techniques that reduce the dental plaque which damages teeth, gums and dental work.

Want to know more about brushing and flossing techniques that prevent bad breath and keep your mouth and dentistry healthier too? Then please click: Tooth Brushing Information , Dental flossing techniques or Preventing Gum Diseases .

*Dr. Kilcoyne is a UK registered Specialist in Prosthodontics (GDC No. 58373) which includes the functional and cosmetic aspects of crowns, dental implants, bridges, veneers, fillings, dentures, bonding and occlusion.

Please go to our MAKE AN APPOINTMENT page if you’d like to access his expertise for your benefit, or simply call us on 01535 644005 and leave your details.

Best wishes from the whole SmileSpecialist® Team.

If you are worried about the possible dangers of “cheap dentistry tourism” abroad, please also read: Dental Dangers Abroad – high risks to be aware of .

Wishing you good dental health and a smile to be proud of, from all at the SmileSpecialist® Team.

We hope you have found our free tooth whitening information helpful, informative and useful – please do tell others about us too.
Simply share: www.smilespecialist.co.uk

*Dr.Tony Kilcoyne BDS;LDS;MGDSRCS(Eng);M.Med.Sci.(U.Sheff.);FFGDP(UK) GDC Registered Specialist in Prosthodontics, with an additional Special interest in Braces too.

GDC number 58373, see www.gdc-uk.org to check Dr.Kilcoyne's credentials.