Regulations Governing Online Sale of Teeth Whitening Products
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the safety and regulation of online teeth whitening products, as raised by Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye. Minister Gan Kim Yong explained that under the Health Products (Cosmetic Products – ASEAN Cosmetic Directive) Regulations, direct consumer sale is restricted to products containing 0.1% hydrogen peroxide or less. The Health Sciences Authority monitors online marketplaces to remove unsafe product listings, and those found contravening these regulations face fines up to $50,000 or two years’ imprisonment. Consumers are advised to purchase from reliable suppliers and avoid unknown vendors to prevent damage to their teeth and gums. For treatments with hydrogen peroxide concentrations exceeding 0.1%, consumers should obtain these products from a registered dentist.
Transcript
9 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Health whether the teeth whitening products sold online are safe for use and whether there are any regulations governing the online sale of these products.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Teeth whitening products are regulated as cosmetic products under the Health Products (Cosmetic Products – ASEAN Cosmetic Directive) Regulations. They usually contain hydrogen peroxide, a bleaching agent, which may pose a risk of damage to the teeth and gums if used inappropriately.
To safeguard the public, only those preparations containing 0.1% of hydrogen peroxide or less are allowed to be sold directly to consumers. Those containing more than 0.1% can only be supplied or used by registered dentists.
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) monitors the safety of health products, including cosmetics, sold in the local market. HSA conducts regular checks on the products, including those sold online. Sellers of unsafe products will be ordered to remove such products from the market. When online sale of unsafe cosmetic products are detected, HSA will work with the administrators of online platforms to remove the listings of the affected products. Any person found to contravene the regulation is liable to a fine up to $50,000 or imprisonment up to two years, or both.
Given the widespread reach of the internet, consumers play an important part in safeguarding their own health. They should be careful not to purchase these products from unknown vendors and should obtain them from a reliable supplier. For those products containing >0.1% hydrogen peroxide, they should obtain them from a dentist.