Regulations Governing Online Sale of Teeth Whitening Products

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.

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 is 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 of up to $50,000 or imprisonment of 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 more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide, they should obtain them from a dentist.