A mum who claims she needed surgery after her gums were burned from a botched tooth whitening procedure has shared the horrific photos online.
Aoife Wills says she has likely sustained "permanent damage" and may need a gum graft after getting what she called "a dodgy treatment" at a beauty salon in County Monaghan in Ireland last Saturday.
She says her gums were left "seriously burnt" by the procedure, and claims the salon neglected to apply a protective gel before starting the whitening treatment.
Photos show Aoife's gums with painful looking burns surrounding her top front teeth.
Her gums are blackened and the gaps between her teeth appear blistered and raw.
Aoife decided to post the images as a warning to other considering getting the procedure done.
She said: "Just a warning to people! On Saturday I went to a beauty salon in Monaghan to get my teeth whitened, I put my trust in these people to do their job correctly!
"However I have now been left with my gums severely burnt and in serious pain. I had to go to the dentist today to get them checked and get an X-ray thankfully my teeth haven't being damaged I am very lucky.
"However they don't yet know what way my gums are going to heal after this. Dentist explained that there should have being a protective gel put on the gums before the procedure which did not happen, it has nothing to do with my teeth or gums."
Aoife's post, which has been shared more than 2,000 times, has been met with sympathy and outrage by social media users.
Tooth whitening is a procedure which uses bleach powder or gel to lighten enamel on teeth by several shades.
According to the NHS website, tooth whitening is a form of dentistry which should only be carried out by qualified professionals.
The NHS advises: "Only go to a registered dental professional for teeth whitening because whitening by people who aren't qualified, for example in beauty salons, is illegal."
The website also adds that home whitening kits may also carry risks.
