Which whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide teeth whitening is an effective and safe way of whitening your teeth to which more and more men and women are turning to give them that desired perfect smile. But which whitening products have hydrogen peroxide? Before answering that question, let me dwell on what this wonder chemical hydrogen peroxide is.Hydrogen peroxide is a highly reactive chemical. Its constituents are hydrogen and oxygen. Apart from its use as a teeth whitener, it is used on a wide scale as a disinfectant and to bleach textile and paper. Normally, it has a concentration of 3% in the whitening products, which may go up to a maximum of 10%. In this connection, it should be noted that the whitening power increases with the concentration. Hydrogen peroxide is, in many cases, confused with carbamide peroxide. But there is a difference between the two. Hydrogen peroxide has the capability of decomposing quickly when it is mixed with saliva and oxygen. Carbamide peroxide is used to slow this fast breaking down so that hydrogen peroxide could have a longer shelf life and also stay for a longer period of time on your teeth yielding the desired result. Carbamide peroxide breaks down in an aqueous solution into hydrogen peroxide and urea. Of these 2 compounds, hydrogen peroxide is the active bleaching agent, as already mentioned.
The dentist – dispensed products are peroxide containing whiteners or bleaching agents which are most commonly used in home – use tooth bleaching products. They contain 10 percent carbamide peroxide, which is equivalent to round about 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. All such products which are approved by the ADA (the American Dental Association), have the above mentioned percentage of carbamide peroxide in them. OTC home – use products also contain bleaching agents containing hydrogen peroxide. In this connection, it may be noted that for safety reasons, only the bleaching agents dispensed through the dental office are eligible for the Seal of ADA. The other constituents of peroxide containing teeth whiteners include carbopol, sodium hydroxide, flavoring agents and glycerin. The bleach products used in professional teeth whitening have hydrogen peroxide in concentrations ranging from 15 to 35 percent. This hydrogen peroxide is used in conjunction with a laser or light which speeds up the whitening process. Before applying these products, a protective gel or a rubber dam is used to shield the gums tissues. This procedure ensures a long lasting sparkling smile on your face within an hour whereas the home – use products require a two to four weeks period to show the desired results.
It is advised that you consult your dentist or still better undergo a dental examination by a licensed dentist before going for bleaching. This is extremely important for patients with very dark stains or those with many fillings and crowns.Similar to the 10 percent home – use carbamide peroxide bleach products, the common side effects of professional bleaching products containing hydrogen peroxide is infrequent irritation of oral tissues and tooth sensitivity. However, these side effects are temporary, and usually disappear over time, after the treatment.Now that you know which teeth whitening products have hydrogen peroxide, I hope you can use hydrogen peroxide teeth whitening to ensure that beautiful sparkling smile on your face that would leave an everlasting impression on every person you meet.
