The whitening toothpaste cannot be considered as a professional whitening treatment, it is reaffirmed by the Italian Competition Authority.
The whitening toothpaste does not replace the action of the dentist
Crossing the supermarket corridors, it is easy to see the enormous supply of toothpaste on the shelves. There are products for oral hygiene that are useful for any type of need: whitening toothpaste, anti-toothpaste, against plaque, for sensitive teeth.
Often, the advertising information that accompanies this type of product misleads the final consumer, it is therefore appropriate to make some clarity.
Last June, with regard to this issue, the Competition and Market Authority has initiated two measures against two well-known manufacturers of dental pasta regarding the promotion of their whitening product line.
Both whitening toothpastes used the comparison with i in the communication professional whitening treatments, an incorrect practice according to the Guarantor Authority that leads the consumer to think that the use of whitening toothpaste alone can give the same results as a professional dental treatment.
Following the provision of the Guarantor Authority the manufacturers have been obliged to remove the term “professional” from their advertising message and explicitly indicate that the product in question does not replace dental treatment.
To change, under penalty of sanction, also the promotional message relating to dental stains. A whitening toothpaste does not eliminate deep tooth stains, its action is effective only on superficial teeth blemishes.
Complete information for the consumer
In addition to the modification of promotional messages, the producer must also undertake to make available to the consumer other communication channels, website, call center, on which to investigate the type of product and its specific properties as well as the correct oral hygiene practices, in the compliance with the consumer code.
The whitened toothpaste therefore remains a cosmetic product and must not be confused with a product with an efficacy equal to the professional dental practice.
On all packs, again according to the Antitrust indications, the following sentence must be inserted: “for professional treatments always contact your trusted dentist“.
The toothpaste is necessary but not sufficient
Toothpaste, such as toothbrush, dental floss and mouthwash, are essential parts of daily oral hygiene. All toothpastes have Clorexedina among their chemical components, a substance that helps fight bacteria and disinfect the oral cavity.
The other important component of toothpaste is fluoride, a substance that helps prevent tooth decay and remineralise enamel that tends to deteriorate over time.
The whitening toothpaste, in particular, is characterized by abrasive components, usually the blue dots we notice in the dental paste, substances that rub against the teeth during brushing, remove the surface pigments and make the enamel glossy.
An action that is temporary, has no lasting effects and does not eliminate dental stains permanently, results that can only be achieved with professional tooth whitening.
