Everyone wants shiny, pearly white teeth. The perfect smile has created a multi-billion-dollar industry, but not all is shiny in this business. The BBC stated that illegal teeth whitening is putting people at risk of health problems, including burnt gums and lips, blisters and lost teeth. The BBC reported a 26 per cent increase in complaints last year from people with problems from teeth whitening. Many of those doing the whitening were unqualified.
The UK's teeth-whitening industry is regulated. Only registered professionals can do it. Two BBC researchers went undercover and found "thousands" of non-qualified teeth-whitening practitioners. They attended a five-hour teeth-whitening course at a London beauty college. The researchers got a certificate and were told they could earn $100 an hour to treat customers. Setting up their own business would be illegal. They would have a criminal record.