Have you recently noticed your teeth getting discoloured?
What if I told you there’s a household item that can whiten your teeth quickly and easily? And that item is hydrogen peroxide. Yes, that product is in a brown bottle you keep in the cabinet.
Besides being used for cleaning cuts, hydrogen peroxide is a versatile product used in many DIYs. But does hydrogen peroxide whiten teeth?
Let’s find out.
How does Hydrogen Peroxide Work?
Hydrogen peroxide is a compound that oxidises when it comes in contact with air. This mild liquid antiseptic is most commonly used to prevent infections and treat minor cuts and wounds.
While the oxidation that takes place makes hydrogen peroxide effective enough to kill bacteria, it also damages your body’s healthy cells, making it a quite aggressive chemical.
However, several at-home and in-office tooth whitening procedures use hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. These peroxides remove stains from the teeth and make your teeth appear whiter and brighter.
Is it Safe?
When you’re wondering, “does hydrogen peroxide whiten teeth?” you should pay attention to the concentration or percentage of hydrogen peroxide in the product that you’re using. It would help if you opted for a hydrogen peroxide concentration of 10% or less for an at-home whitening procedure, which is pretty effective. Using products above this concentration causes damage to the enamel.
But if you’re getting the procedure done at your dentist’s office, a concentration of up to 38% hydrogen peroxide can be safe.
It would be best for you if you still were careful. Using at-home remedies frequently may cause chemical burns and other side effects, including irritation. Increased tooth sensitivity may also result, but it lasts only a day or two.
How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide?
You can apply hydrogen peroxide in the following two ways:
- Hydrogen Peroxide Paste
By using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, you can make a paste. Stir a little hydrogen peroxide with a few teaspoons of baking soda until you get a thick paste. You should be able to apply it to the surface of your teeth without it being grit-filled anymore.
You can utilise a toothbrush to brush the paste onto your teeth for about 2 minutes. Move slowly and gently in a circular motion to coat your teeth. After that, make sure all of the paste is gone from your mouth by giving it a good rinse with water.
- Hydrogen Peroxide Rinse
Making a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash is an efficient approach to completely cover all of your teeth and ensure that there is no residual peroxide that could irritate or harm them.
Mix food-grade hydrogen peroxide from the store with an equal amount of water to use as a rinse. Avoid ingesting the mixture; thoroughly rinse your mouth with it for 30 to 60 seconds before spitting it out.
Spit out the combination right away and properly rinse your mouth with water if it hurts or irritates you in any other way.
In-Office Teeth Whitening Treatment in Canberra
You can visit our Woden dentists, in the Woden Valley, Canberra. Our in-office teeth whitening treatment helps you eliminate yellow teeth and get a visibly whiter and brighter smile.
Call our super-friendly customer service department and book your appointment today.