People are whitening their teeth now more than ever before, making it crucial that dentists be able to choose safe whitening products for patients. Luckily, the ADA has released a standard regulating the safety of these products.
Standard No. 136 was developed over a period of years by many collaborators, and approved by the American National Standards Institute. It sets requirements on factors like toxicity, how safe products are for the enamel and soft tissue of the mouth, and active ingredient concentrations, among other things. These factors are all cited by Dr. Clifton Carey, of the ADA Standards Committee and the University of Colorado, as being important to consumer safety.
What this means for consumers is that the ADA and ANSI have created a set of guidelines that ensure the health of natural teeth and soft tissue, while still achieving the dazzling smile we are striving for.
For more information, visit our Glen Ellyn teeth whitening page.