EU Tooth Whitening Products analysed

The European Network of Official Cosmetics Control Laboratories and the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines conducted a study in 12 European countries that concluded numerous tooth whitening products do not meet EU or national regulations for cosmetic products. Their study spanned the period 2013-2017 and involved 13 laboratories and 261 samples of whitening gels, tray-based tooth whiteners, whitening strips, brush-on whiteners, mouthwashes and bleaching toothpastes, a large proportion of which were manufactured in the EU.
Whilst results were overall positive with 71% compliance, and no issues were reported on microbiological contamination, mouthwashes and whitening rinses, concerns were raised on some products that carried a CE marking erroneously, some that were not registered in the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal, and others that contained more hydrogen peroxide than is allowed. Other compliance issues included the presence of a carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction substance such as sodium perborate, with brush-on whiteners, tray-based tooth whiteners, whitening strips, whitening gel and toothpaste showing some non-compliance in descending order of severity. Yet none of these observations resulted in products being officially taken off the shelves albeit there were some voluntary withdrawals.