Illegal tooth whitening treatments, some containing dangerously high levels of bleaching agents, are causing irreversible damage to people across the UK, according to a BBC investigation published on October 29, 2025. The investigation uncovered a shadowy market where gels with more than 500 times the legal limit of hydrogen peroxide are being sold openly on social media, handed over in car parks, and delivered right to customers’ doorsteps.
Under UK law, only General Dental Council (GDC) registered dental professionals are permitted to use tooth whitening products containing more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide, and even for professionals, the concentration must not exceed 6%. However, the BBC’s undercover reporters found products with up to 53% hydrogen peroxide for sale—levels that experts warn can burn gums, destroy teeth, and cause permanent nerve damage.
To expose the scale and ease of access to these illegal treatments, a BBC North West reporter managed to acquire a fraudulent teeth-whitening qualification and purchased highly concentrated gels, all after a “training course” delivered via WhatsApp messages. The reporter was advised to “practise on friends and family,” and the provider boasted, “it’s really cheap to do and the profit is insane.” According to the BBC, some sellers even described their products as “so strong it’s not available to buy in the UK,” underscoring the risks to unwitting customers.
One of the most harrowing accounts uncovered by the BBC was that of Kellie Howson, a 54-year-old hospital worker from Lancaster. After paying £65 for a whitening treatment at a beauty salon in 2015, Howson experienced immediate and escalating pain. “I just remember not long into the treatment my gums starting to really hurt, and afterwards it just got worse and worse. I was in agony,” she told the BBC. The damage was so severe that her dentist ultimately concluded the only way to relieve her pain was to remove four teeth. The aftermath was both physically and emotionally devastating. “It destroyed my confidence, I didn’t want to go out, didn’t want to see anyone,” Howson said. She has since spent years and tens of thousands of pounds trying to repair the damage.
The beautician responsible for Howson’s treatment was prosecuted for unlawfully practising dentistry and ordered to pay £250 in compensation. Yet, despite the severity of these incidents, successful prosecutions remain rare. The last time the GDC secured a conviction was in October 2021, and the council’s investigations are “reactive, rather than proactive,” relying almost entirely on customer complaints, as a GDC spokesperson explained to the BBC.
The BBC’s investigation also highlighted the role of social media in facilitating the illegal trade. Kits containing syringes of unlabelled chemicals, rubber gloves, cotton buds, and even a set of false teeth to practise on, were openly advertised by companies like White n Bright in Manchester and Pearly White Diamonds in Merseyside. The products were often handed over in person, with little to no safety information provided. In one instance, the BBC reporter was handed two syringes of whitening gel in a plastic sandwich bag on a seller’s doorstep, with no instructions or warnings.
White n Bright, for example, advertised kits with 35% carbamide peroxide—equivalent to roughly 12% hydrogen peroxide, which is 120 times the legal limit for non-dentists and double what dentists are allowed to use. Pearly White Diamonds, meanwhile, offered an online “training course” for £300, which included a kit with gels described as up to 53% hydrogen peroxide. After completing the WhatsApp-based course, the BBC reporter received a pre-signed certificate, dated September 15, 2025, certifying her as qualified in “Cosmetic Whitening Theory and Application.” The company owner even encouraged the reporter to “brand your own teeth-whitening products,” emphasizing the low cost and high profit margins.
The BBC also discovered that beauticians who had completed these dubious courses were using the certificates to claim legitimacy and attract clients. One such beautician, operating under the name Hannah Louise Aesthetics, posted her certificate on social media and advertised treatments using “extreme” strength gels.
To verify the dangers, the BBC sent the purchased gels to the University of Lancashire for laboratory testing. Dr. Shalini Kanagasingam, from the university’s school of medicine and dentistry, described the results as deeply troubling. “If you use a higher percentage, especially if it’s not monitored professionally by a dentist, you could end up causing irreversible damage to a tooth and you could actually cause a chemical burn,” Dr. Kanagasingam warned. She called the gels “extremely dangerous” and urged the public to seek advice from their dentist before considering whitening treatments, noting that sometimes a professional cleaning is all that’s needed for a brighter smile.
The British Dental Association (BDA) was unequivocal in its condemnation of the findings. BDA chair Eddie Crouch told the BBC, “In the UK, only qualified dental professionals are allowed to carry out teeth whitening. In the wrong hands, teeth whitening can be extremely dangerous. It isn’t just the excruciating pain, or the burnt lips and gums, but also the fact that it can lead to nerve damage and even tooth loss.” The BDA also expressed alarm at the lack of effective enforcement, stating, “The BBC’s investigation has found that these illegal teeth whitening providers are undeterred by the prospect of a criminal record or a fine which, since 2016, can be an unlimited amount. The risk must seem worth the reward to these fraudsters.” The association called on the government to “organise a crack-down on these dangerous practices and mis-selling as an urgent priority.”
Government officials, for their part, urged members of the public to report concerns about teeth-whitening products to Citizens Advice or their local Trading Standards department. Yet the BBC’s reporting makes clear that, without more proactive enforcement and greater public awareness, the illegal teeth-whitening industry is likely to continue thriving in the shadows—leaving more victims to pay the price for a brighter smile.
As the investigation’s findings reverberate through the dental community and beyond, the message is clear: when it comes to tooth whitening, the risks of unregulated treatments far outweigh the rewards. For now, experts and regulators alike are urging caution, vigilance, and a renewed commitment to protecting the public from the hidden dangers of the illegal cosmetic dentistry trade.
