Abbie Kilbride, a teen in the U.K., shared these photos of her super-swollen lips on Facebook the morning after she got her teeth whitened—and the internet (especially fellow brighteners) freaked out. And for good reason: The photos are concerning and serve as a reminder that whitening kits work by bleaching your teeth with peroxide, a chemical that can be dangerous in high concentrations.
But you have no reason to worry so long as you stick to over-the-counter kits or the handiwork of a well-trained dentist. Kilbride opted for a sketchy pseudo-professional who likely misused the strong chemical, which gave her third-degree burns and possibly an allergic reaction.
