Is teeth whitening safe?

Teeth whitening is becoming increasingly popular with consumers buying 11 billion personal care and cosmetic products each year in the USA and 5 billion in Europe. As. In the USA the teeth whitening industry changed by the late 1980’s due to the change in dental prescribed bleaching products, whereby application occurred within the home, using trays. However, the question begs, is teeth whitening safe?

To understand if teeth whitening is safe, we first must understand what teeth whitening entails. Teeth whitening is the process of restoring the colour of the tooth back to its natural  shade, teeth bleaching is the process of whitening the tooth beyond the natural colour, according to the American Dental Association.  Teeth whitening products primarily use either Hydrogen Peroxide or Carbamide Peroxide. Hydrogen Peroxide is mostly used by dentists and by professionals; the reason for this is that Hydrogen Peroxide is around 3 times stronger than Carbamide Peroxide.

According to the American Dental Association, in office treatments contain levels of Hydrogen Peroxide from 15% – 38%, which are considerably high levels. Most American home teeth whitening kits which comprise of only Hydrogen peroxide contain levels ranging between 3% and 10% (Carbamide equivalent of approximately 10% – 30%). Carbamide Teeth whitening kits range from 10%, 16%, 22%, 35%, 36% and 44%, with the latter being around the equivalent of 15% hydrogen Peroxide. So what level of peroxide is safe for home use?

 Is teeth whitening safe for home use?

Yes teeth whitening is safe for home application and use, as with any cosmetic or personal care products, due care should always be taken when using peroxide and teeth whitening gels. As cited by the American Dental Association “data accumulated over the last 20 years including some long-term clinical study follow ups, indicate no significant long term oral, or systemic health risks associated with professional at home tooth bleaching materials”. Years of research show that peroxide at home teeth whitening kits have no adverse affects on the fluorescence and translucency of enamel or dentine, I.E thinning of the enamel.

Conclusion:  is teeth whitening safe?

Is teeth whitening safe, yes, are there precautions you should take before considering if teeth whitening is right for you, always. Teeth whitening should only be performed on healthy teeth, you should also be free of any gum complaints such as gum recession, gingivitis (gum disease) if you have any concerns about your teeth you should consult your dentist prior to any whitening.

We have thousands of happy customers that use our products with maximum results with safety at the forefront. We are always happy to answer any of your questions please contact us for more details.