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Product recall: Ivismile teeth whitening kit poses 'serious chemical risk'
A safety warning issued by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has identified a teeth whitening kit said to contain dangerously high levels of hydrogen peroxide.
Update:
14 June 2021 Our original story noted that the Ivismile kit was available through third-party sellers on Amazon. We asked the retailer to ask how it would respond and Amazon has now removed the product from sale.
An Amazon spokesperson said: 'Third-party sellers are independent businesses and are required to follow all applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies when listings items for sale in our store. We have proactive measures in place to prevent prohibited products from being listed and we continuously monitor our store. Those who violate our policies are subject to action including potential removal of their account. The product in question has been removed.'
End of update.
The OPSS report notes that the whitening kit, which poses a 'serious chemical risk', has been withdrawn from the market. However, our own research shows that the Ivismile kit is still readily available through several other retailers.
This latest recall news follows an investigation by Which? that found 58% of teeth whiteners bought from AliExpress, Amazon, eBay and Wish contained illegal and dangerous levels of hydrogen peroxide.
Read on for more details on the Ivismile recall and what you should do if you've bought one of the affected products.
Which Ivismile products are being recalled?
The OPSS has issued a product recall warning for the Ivismile Teeth Whitening Kit (shown below), marking the risk level as 'serious'. The mint-flavoured kit is made in China and comes in a black box with white and turquoise writing.
According to the OPSS notice, the sample was found to contain 11% released hydrogen peroxide, which is 110 times more than the maximum permitted of 0.1% for oral products.
Ivismile's teeth whitening kit has not been marked with a business address or registered office within the EU. On top of that, the product doesn't come with a batch number or nominal quantity on the packaging, meaning it doesn't comply with the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013.
We have contacted Ivismile for comment, but haven't received a response - we'll update this article if we hear back.
Our guide has more details on your rights under the Consumer Rights Act during a product recall
What should I do if I'm affected?
If you have already purchased the Ivismile teeth whitening kit, our advice is to avoid using it. Whitening kits that contain too much hydrogen peroxide can burn your gums and, in some cases, cause permanent damage to your teeth.
Place the kit out of the reach of children and, if applicable, inform all other adults in the house of the situation.
You can find Ivismile's contact details (and an online contact form) on the Ivismile website. The company also provides an email address for its US and China office:
- usa@ivismile.com
- china@ivismile.com
Dangerous teeth whitening products found on online marketplaces
A recent Which? investigation found that 58% of teeth whiteners bought from online marketplaces contained illegal and dangerous levels of hydrogen peroxide.
Of the 36 teeth whitening kits that we tested, 20 contained more than 10 times too much hydrogen peroxide. The six most dangerous whiteners had more than 100 times too much hydrogen peroxide to be legally sold.
We even uncovered two extremely concerning products that contained around 30% hydrogen peroxide, or 300 times the permissible amount for use-at-home teeth whitening products.
To find out more about the dangerous at-home whitening kits we tested, read our full teeth whitening products investigation
We care about product safety
At Which?, we're committed to improving safety standards for UK consumers.
Our rigorous lab tests have uncovered a range of unsafe products listed on various online marketplaces, as well as on the high street. For example, our expert lab tests have revealed a range of dangerous Don't Buy tumble dryers and Don't Buy smoke alarms that could put you and your loved ones at risk.
If you've purchased a product that turns out to be faulty, head over to our complaint tool for a ready-made letter that you can use to get a repair, replacement or refund for your item.
