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The Safety of Hydrogen Peroxide for Teeth Whitening

Whiter teeth has been associated with beauty and youth, motivating people to spend hundreds of dollars for professional teeth whitening yearly. If you're not willing to shell out a lot of money for a cosmetic dental procedure, try an at-home remedy: hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is often a component in teeth whitening products. But applying chemicals inside your mouth could cause you to question hydrogen peroxide's safety.

  1. Hydrogen Peroxide & Teeth Whitening

    • An at-home hydrogen peroxide procedure involves using a toothpaste that contains hydrogen peroxide, purchasing whitening strips or gels that use hydrogen peroxide, or creating a makeshift tooth scrub. By mixing together hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, you can create a paste to brush your teeth.

    Benefits & Safety

    • The main two benefits of hydrogen peroxide are availability and price. It can be found at any drug store or supermarket, and usually only costs a couple of dollars. Hydrogen peroxide has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in teeth-whitening products. When teeth-whitening kits are used correctly, they do not cause harm to teeth structure or enamel. In general, the higher the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in a tooth whitener, the higher the chance of adverse side effects. However, these adverse effects are considerably mild, and do not require treatment.

    Tooth Sensitivity & Tissue Irritation

    • Using hydrogen peroxide can increase tooth sensitivity to temperature changes. Another potential side effect is irritation of gums and skin inside the mouth. However, according to the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products, these effects - including other rare events, such as a burning palate and throat - occur at the start of the treatment and are not permanent.

    Dangers of Hydrogen Peroxide

    • If you use hydrogen peroxide for do-it-yourself teeth whitening, do not swallow it, as it can react with your stomach acids. In addition to being harmful to your stomach, hydrogen peroxide can further damage any cuts inside your mouth. Swallowing a little bit of tooth whitener isn't generally harmful, however.

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