What Is Hydrogen Peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a clear liquid chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. It is an effective disinfectant often used to sterilise wounds. Other common uses include cleaning, whitening laundry, and washing vegetables.
In dentistry, safer concentrations of hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening treatments are used. As it kills harmful bacteria, dental professionals have been using hydrogen peroxide since the early 1900s to prevent and treat gum diseases. Additionally, the bacteria-killing properties of hydrogen peroxide also contribute to effectively treating bad breath (halitosis).
How Does Hydrogen Peroxide Whiten Teeth?
An individual’s teeth may discolour for various reasons, including age and stains resulting from poor oral hygiene, highly pigmented foods, or tobacco use. Dentists use safe concentrations of oxidising agents such as carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening. These agents work by breaking down the large pigmented molecules that stain the teeth into small, less pigmented ones, reducing the appearance of stains to reveal whiter teeth.
Does Hydrogen Peroxide Work?
Hydrogen peroxide uses for teeth in dental care commonly includes tooth whitening. The amount of hydrogen peroxide used may vary based on the type of whitening treatment and intended use. Some people prefer to use globally available over-the-counter (OTC) teeth whitening kits like whitening strips, whitening pens, and peroxide mouthwashes, which usually contain low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.
Bleaching agents used by dentists can provide noticeable and lasting whitening results. They generally use safer, higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening treatments. However, hydrogen peroxide OTC products are unavailable in India since it is highly regulated. Instead, you may consider using some of the best proprietary whitening toothpaste with similar efficacy.
Is Hydrogen Peroxide Safe For Teeth?
Hydrogen peroxide available at the drugstore usually includes instructions for use at home. However, one may not know how to use hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening in safe concentrations. While higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide used in dental treatments are generally safe under the supervision of a dentist, at-home use requires caution. To ensure safety and effectiveness, consider using dentist-recommended over-the-counter (OTC) oral care products with lower concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.
Potentially serious implications can be prevented by cautiously avoiding the ingestion of hydrogen peroxide and exposure to larger amounts of the liquid. To avoid any possible side effects from DIY methods, it is ideal to consult a dental professional to find what works best for your unique oral health conditions, such as sensitive teeth or gum diseases.
Teeth Whitening Alternatives
While dental professionals use safer concentrations of hydrogen peroxide for in-office teeth whitening, globally available over-the-counter teeth whitening products with lower concentrations may work safely when used as directed. As these OTC products are not available in India, whitening toothpaste with active ingredients that remove tooth stains serves as a safer alternative as effective as tooth bleaching.
For instance, the Colgate Visible White O2 whitening toothpaste uses a proprietary active oxygen technology to start whitening teeth in 3 days. Its revolutionary formula releases millions of active oxygen bubbles that remove stains from the enamel surface and the deeper intrinsic stains, whitening your teeth inside out. It is gentle on the tooth enamel, which makes it ideal for daily use.
