Slow, Gentle Whitening Better, Safer

Harsh, Chemical Hydrogen Peroxide Damages Tooth Enamel

If you’ve ever used common over-the-counter tooth whiteners, you’ve probably realized that the active ingredient in many of these products is a harsh, chemical hydrogen peroxide.

Natural hydrogen peroxide itself is a wonderful, safe, convenient substance. Hydrogen peroxide can be used to effectively clean wounds, remove stains from clothing and as a general, gentle disinfectant, among other things.

That same natural, gentle hydrogen peroxide is generally not found in over-the-counter tooth whitening products, though. Chemically, Carbamide Peroxide – the primary active ingredient in tooth whiteners, which is also known as Urea Hydrogen Peroxide and Perhydrol-Urea) is CO(NH2)2.H2O2 – breaks down into Hydrogen Peroxide [H202] and Urea [CO(NH2)2] in an aqueous solution.

Carbamide peroxide breaks down, allowing oxygen to enter the enamel and dentin, thereby bleaching the teeth to a lighter color. Being a “more, faster” type of society, many shoppers peruse store shelves looking for the product with the highest peroxide solution, hoping for fast results.

Carbomide peroxide is caustic to human tissue, and can burn your gums, causing bleeding and white spots on the gums. It can also cause increased tooth sensitivity. And, worse yet, use of carbomide peroxide can decrease the amount of enamel on your teeth, leaving them prone to a host of problems, according to the Journal of the American Dental Association.

“Studies have reported loss of calcium and some alterations in enamel microhardness after exposure to 10 percent carbamide peroxide,” a recent study concluded.

On the other hand, natural, continuous low doses of hydrogen peroxide have proven to be gentle enough for daily use for continual and gradual whitening effects.