Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth Whitening At Home

Before using any chemical, you should definitely become familiar with it's properties and appropriate uses. So when we talk about hydrogen peroxide teeth whitening, it is very important to understand a few things about hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical, a weak acid to be exact, that acts as a bleaching agent in many of the teeth whitening products you can purchase in stores. You can even find it in tooth pastes and mouth washes.

However, the hydrogen peroxide itself is created by combining oxygen and hydrogen. This combination has been used for teeth whitening for many years and is considered very safe for that very purpose. Do note, however, that there are varying degrees of strength with hydrogen peroxide, but you will typically find strengths in the range of 3% to 10%.

Although not recommended here, you can actually make your very own hydrogen peroxide at home.

There are many commercial hydrogen peroxide products on the market and it is strongly advised that those products be sought for home usage.  However, the good news is that these products can often be used for your very own homemade teeth whitening paste.

If making your own homemade teeth whitening mixture is the goal, then you might find the following helpful for guiding you when choosing the right hydrogen peroxide.

Many people find that their gums can be sensitive to hydrogen peroxide.  Typically the sensitivity is minimal, but the burning sensation is something to keep in mind when considering the strength of the hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide is not without it's side effects.  But what chemical is?

Hydrogen peroxide is considered to be highly reactive and can often lead to tissue (gum) irritation and sometimes even tooth sensitivity (with regard to temperature changes).  Fortunately, both the temperature sensitivity and gum irritation are usually very short lived.

The reason hydrogen peroxide works so well is because it can go through your tooth enamel and interact with the pulp and dentin parts of your tooth.  The ADA has deemed this safe so I would not worry too much about this.

Closing Thoughts On Hydrogen Peroxide Tooth Whitening

This is a very safe and common way to rid yourself of unsightly tooth coloring.  Most dentists, if not all, employ some form of hydrogen peroxide tooth whitening in their offices.  Just be safe and careful when considering homemade tooth whiteners.