How To Use Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth Whitening

When it comes to teeth whitening, there are plenty of options in the market. You can choose from over-the-counter products to professional treatments that offer more dramatic results.

However, most people don’t realize that hydrogen peroxide is a safe and effective way to achieve whiter teeth at home. The beauty of using hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening is that you can use it on its own or combine it with other ingredients for a customized treatment plan. In this article, we’ll look at how hydrogen peroxide works and how you can use it in your daily routine.

Read on to learn more about How To Use Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth Whitening, How Does Teeth Whitening Work? and Adverse Effects of Teeth Whitening

How To Use Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth Whitening

You may not wake up every day dreaming of whiter teeth, but if someone told you a simple product can whiten your teeth without too much effort, you would probably be at least slightly intrigued. After coming across claims that hydrogen peroxide can be a useful product for teeth whitening, we were definitely interested in learning more.

Does hydrogen peroxide really whiten teeth? And if so, is it safe? To find out, we got in touch with the experts who know best: dentists. Keep reading to hear them weigh in everything you need to know about using hydrogen peroxide to whiten your teeth.

MEET THE EXPERT

• Lilya Horowitz, DDS, dentist and owner of Domino Dental in Brooklyn, New York
• Sharon Huang, DDS, dentist and owner of Les Belles NYC in Manhattan, New York

What is Hydrogen Peroxide?

Hydrogen peroxide is a mild liquid antiseptic that’s often used for medicinal purposes, like preventing infections and treating minor cuts and wounds.¹ (If you are wondering, yes, this is the product in the brown bottle found in most homes.) Hydrogen peroxide is also one of the most common ingredients used to whiten teeth and can be found in many whitening and oral care products, like mouth wash, toothpaste, and at-home whitening kits.

The reason hydrogen peroxide is used in many teeth whitening products is because it breaks down into smaller molecules, specifically water and oxygen, which release free radicals that can lift stains from your teeth and make your teeth appear whiter, Huang explains.²

Is Hydrogen Peroxide Safe for Teeth?

Dentists say hydrogen peroxide can be safe when used for teeth whitening, but only when it’s used correctly. “Using hydrogen peroxide in low concentrations and in limited doses is safe for teeth,” Huang tells us. “The best and safest way to use hydrogen peroxide is to choose oral care products that use hydrogen peroxide as a key ingredient to lift stains.”

You may be wondering: but what exactly is the right dose and best way to use hydrogen peroxide on your teeth? The first thing to understand is that you need to pay attention to the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the product you buy. For an at-home whitening treatment, you’ll want to look for a hydrogen peroxide concentration of 10% or less, Horowitz says. But a concentration up to 38% hydrogen peroxide can be safe if you’re having the treatment done at your dentist’s office, she adds.

Another point to keep in mind is that using hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening isn’t safe for everyone. People with certain dental conditions, like thin enamel, should probably stay away from using hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening. Or, at the very least, make sure to check with a dentist before doing so. “If you have thin or worn down enamel, dental restorations that are failing or leaking, cavities, or inflamed gums, whitening is not recommended,” Horowitz says.

Benefits

You can find hydrogen peroxide nearly anywhere. One major benefit to using hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening is that it’s not hard to get your hands on. “It’s easy to go to a drugstore and choose a toothpaste with hydrogen peroxide,” Huang says. “It can also be quite effective at removing superficial staining, which can have a dramatic effect on the shade of your teeth.”

It can be fairly gentle on your teeth. As long as you use a product that contains a safe concentration of hydrogen peroxide and check in with your dentist first, this method of teeth whitening can be gentle, non-abrasive, and won’t damage your enamel, Horowitz tells us. Some over-the-counter whitening pastes and products scrub away stains using abrasives, and these can damage enamel make your teeth more sensitive.

How to Use It

• Buy an at-home whitening kit. Your easiest option is to purchase an at-home tooth whitening product that includes hydrogen peroxide as a leading ingredient. You can find many of these sold over-the-counter. Here are two options Huang recommends BURST coconut whitening strips (which contain six percent hydrogen peroxide and can be used as a 15-minute, at-home treatment) and Spotlight Oral Care Teeth Whitening Strips (a treatment that hydrogen peroxide as an active ingredient and requires one hour of your time).
• Make a hydrogen peroxide rinse. Looking for a project? Maybe it’s time to get DIY and make your own hydrogen peroxide rinse that you can use once or twice a week at home. Here’s what you’ll want to do, with advice from Dr. Huang:

1. Mix equal parts water and 3% hydrogen peroxide. Maybe start with around a quarter cup of each, or more depending how much you want to make.
2. Swish the rinse around your mouth for somewhere between 30 seconds and one minute.
3. Spit out the mixture. Please, do NOT swallow the hydrogen peroxide rinse!
4. If you feel any burning or pain while rinsing, spit out the mixture right away and immediately rinse your mouth with water.

• See a dentist for a professional whitening. For the best results, teeth whitening needs to happen within a professional dental setting, experts say. “The best teeth whitening results are always going to be from seeing a dentist,” Huang says. “There are so many whitening products on the market but not all products are created equal.”

Many over-the-counter treatments don’t provide results that are noticeable or long-lasting. “Its the equivalent of doing a 24-hour juice cleanse and expecting a dramatic change in your appearance,” she says. Instead, dentists can offer personalized recommendations and treatments that are a good fit for you specifically. Many dentists even offer combination treatments where you are treated in the dentists office and also take home teeth whitening trays to use at home.

Hydrogen Peroxide Alternatives

Craving whiter teeth but not into the idea of hydrogen peroxide? Here are some options:

• See a dentist. You’ll find the safest and most effective teeth whitening products and treatments by seeing your dentist.
• Use a straw. Try using a straw when drinking coffee, tea, and other dark beverages. This can help prevent stains from forming.
• Try a product with a different active. You can find many whitening products sold over-the-counter at your local pharmacy. If you have sensitive teeth, Huang recommends the whitening strips by Lumineux Oral Essentials. Check out this recent Byrdie story for more dentist-approved recommendations.

The Takeaway

Hydrogen peroxide can be helpful for whitening teeth, but it’s important to use it safely. Make sure the concentration of hydrogen peroxide is not too high, and definitely check in with your dentist before trying anything at home—many at-home whitening products are abrasive and can damage your enamel, dentists say.

Does ismile work

Teeth whitening is amongst one of the most popular procedures in dentistry. Teeth whitening makes teeth appear whiter, stain-free and makes the smile more aesthetically pleasing.

There is a wide range of home-based teeth whitening products like toothpastes, films, and gels. Teeth whitening performed by dentist consists of bleaching agents. These bleaching agents are high in chemical composition and need to be applied carefully by a dentist.

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

The active component in most of the chemical teeth whitening products is composed of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is released in the form of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Carbamide peroxide is a stable compound which disintegrates when contacted with water and releases hydrogen peroxide. Bleaching is a chemical process which removes chromogens responsible for tooth staining. Chromogens either accumulate superficially on the tooth structure causing extrinsic stains or slowly settle under the teeth leading to internal or intrinsic stains. Broadly, chromogens are classified into two groups:

• Chromogens which are composed of large organic compounds and contain conjugated double bonds
• Chromogens which are primarily composed of metal compounds

Tooth bleaching of chromogens, which are primarily composed of organic compounds, involves the dissolution of double bonds present in the organic chromogens. It has been observed that bleaching chromogens which are metallic in nature are tougher when compared to bleaching the organic chromogens.

Other options that are available to bleach metallic chromogens include tooth veneers or crowns. There is a wide range of teeth whitening products available to remove the stains. Selection of the whitening product usually depends upon the type of stain requiring the removal. However, broadly they are classified as:

• Cleansers like certain toothpastes which are chiefly composed of detergents and abrasives which help in the removal of chromogens from the tooth surfaces
• Bleaching agents which undergo a reaction with chromogens and lighten the color of discolored teeth
• Products which have both cleansing and bleaching reaction.

Home-based whitening kits are primarily suitable to lighten the milder stains, whereas harder stains are usually treated by a dentist. Treatment of end-point for teeth whitening depends on the time for which the bleaching agent is exposed and the extent of its concentration.

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, teeth whitening agents that can be used at home are:

Whitening Toothpastes

These pastes are primarily composed of large amounts of abrasives and detergents. These are primarily composed of low amounts of carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide that aid in tooth lightening. However, these pastes do not have bleaching agents like sodium hypochlorite for lightening teeth. A recommended usage makes the teeth appear 1-2 shades lighter.

Over the Counter Whitening Strips and Gels

Whitening Strips are plastic strips which are fabricated in a way that they appropriately fit in the buccal or outer visible portions of the teeth. They slowly release peroxide gel which aid in teeth whitening. They are recommended for self-application and can be applied for a span of 30 minutes for 2 weeks. Whitening gels contain peroxide and can be applied on the tooth surface with the help of a brush and are usually instructed to be self-applied two times a day. Strips and gels also make the teeth appear one to two shades lighter.

Woman applying a whitening strip on her teeth. Image Credit: antoniodiaz / Shutterstock

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Whitening Rinses

These oral rinses are composed of oxygen constituents like hydrogen peroxide and eventually react with the chromogens. Rinsing with them is recommended two times a day for about 60 secs. Tooth lightening is usually observed after 3 months of regular usage.

Tray-Based Teeth Whiteners

These trays can be both self applied or professionally by a dentist. A well fitted tray containing carbamide peroxide-bleaching gel can be applied for 2 to 4 hours during the day time or while sleeping over the night. This type of tooth lightening product also makes the teeth appear 1-2 shades lighter.

Adverse Effects of Teeth Whitening

At home teeth whitening procedures are generally safe for use; however, they do pose some adverse effects if they are not judiciously or cautiously used.

A long-term and unwarranted use of teeth whitening products can severely affect dental health. These products should never be used without the advice of a trained dental professional. Also, they must be applied for the recommended time frame only which usually lasts for 14 days.

The user must also not rely on all the teeth whitening products available in the market. It is advisable to use the products suggested by a registered dentist or products which holds the seal of America Dental Association or a local government body which makes these products licensed to be sold in the market.

Here is a list of few adverse effects of teeth whitening products if they are not applied correctly:

• Teeth become sensitive after a prolonged usage
• Periodontal problems like mild gingival irritation
• Loss of mineral content of teeth
• Increased risk for demineralization of teeth
• Damage to the pulp of the teeth
• Tooth erosion

Even though, teeth whitening makes teeth appear whiter and stain-free; however, recent research has indicated potential long-term hazards and side effects associated with this procedure like discoloration and damage of dental fillings.

Hydrogen peroxide teeth whitening side effects

How long it takes hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth depends on the teeth condition, the reason for discoloration, and the type of treatment used.

How long it takes hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth depends on three things, including:

1. Condition of the teeth
2. Reason for discoloration of the teeth
3. Type of treatment you want (at-home kits or in-office treatment)

Sessions conducted at a dentist’s office depend on the concentration of hydrogen peroxide.

• The more the concentration, the fewer the sessions required.
• However, more concentration is associated with a risk of greater damage.
• Instead, experts recommend using lower concentrations and shorter treatment times to avoid damage to the teeth.

Professional teeth-whitening treatment typically takes 3-4 weeks to whiten your teeth.

For over-the-counter and in-home teeth-whitening kits to work, it will take at least a month of wearing mouthpieces every night before the whitening effect sets in. The duration of obtaining results depends on how white your teeth are when you initiate the treatment.

How do you use hydrogen peroxide as a teeth whitener?

You can either use homemade mouthwash recipes using household ingredients, try over-the-counter whitening kits, or get teeth whitening done from a dentist.

Homemade mouthwash recipes involve swishing hydrogen peroxide solution around your mouth or applying a paste of hydrogen peroxide mixed with baking soda on your teeth followed by rinsing it off. You must, however, exercise caution because this may damage your dental enamel.

Homemade hydrogen peroxide mouthwash

1. Mix three percent hydrogen peroxide (one part) and water (two parts).
2. Shake the ingredient mixture thoroughly and use it as a mouthwash.
3. Spit it out the moment you feel a burning sensation and take care not to swallow the solution.

Hydrogen peroxide paste

1. Take one teaspoon of baking soda and two teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide in a dish.
2. Mix the soda and peroxide with a spoon.
3. Apply the paste to your teeth in a circular motion with the help of a toothbrush for two minutes.
4. Swish water around your mouth until the whole paste is rinsed off completely.

Additionally, there are plenty of store-bought options, including:

• Teeth-whitening kits
• Teeth-whitening strips
• Teeth-whitening pens
• Teeth-whitening mouthwash
• Teeth-whitening toothpaste

Most of these options contain hydrogen peroxide diluted to about three percent. The amount of hydrogen peroxide in office-based whitening treatments varies, with the maximum concentration being 10%.

If you want quicker results than the above two methods but maintain good oral health, you always have the option of getting tooth whitening treatments from a professional.

Are there any side effects of teeth whitening with hydrogen peroxide?

Although hydrogen peroxide can make your teeth a few shades whiter, you must know the risks before you opt for any of the methods of using it.

Teeth whitening with hydrogen peroxide can produce side effects such as:

• Teeth sensitivity
• Gum irritation
• Enamel and tooth damage
• Vomiting from accidental ingestion
• Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
• Colitis (inflammation of the bowel)

Some of these side effects, such as enamel and tooth damage, are usually because of using a higher concentration. Always be careful while handling hydrogen peroxide of any concentration. 

Side effects such as tooth sensitivity can be caused with any concentration. If you are experiencing any of these side effects, discontinue using hydrogen peroxide and contact your dentist.

What causes tooth discoloration?

There are two types of staining that cause tooth discoloration: intrinsic and extrinsic staining.

1. Intrinsic staining, also known as internal staining, is caused by heredity, age, antibiotics, excessive fluoride levels, and developmental abnormalities and can begin before the tooth has erupted. Some dental restorations may induce tooth discoloration after the tooth has erupted.
2. Extrinsic staining, also known as external staining, is caused due to environmental factors such as smoking, excessive consumption of tea, coffee, wine, and certain foods, antibiotics, and metals such as iron or copper. Colored substances from various sources are absorbed into dental pellicles or directly onto the tooth surface, resulting in staining.