Hydrogen peroxide has been shown to be extremely effective when it comes to whitening teeth. It also has antibacterial properties that help decrease the amount of bacteria and plaque in your mouth. You should always remember to use pharmacy sold hydrogen peroxide products.
There are surprising ways peroxide can be used for your teeth. Apart from whitening your teeth, you can use it to help curb cavities and plaque. Hydrogen peroxide can also help reduce staining. Only use the usual 3% diluted hydrogen peroxide products (sold in most pharmacies) for your teeth.
There are a few ways of using hydrogen peroxide – you can gargle it or make a paste out of it with baking soda. Applying the paste with a toothbrush is a great way of whitening your teeth. However, you should never use highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide. It can quickly damage the enamel of your teeth. Baking soda can also be abrasive for the enamel and should be used with caution when used to whiten teeth.
How Does Hydrogen Peroxide Affect Your Teeth?
Normal, run-of-the-mill hydrogen peroxide like this example (on Amazon) has shown to be effective when it comes to whitening teeth. While there are other methods such getting your teeth professionally whitened, they’re expensive options.
Hydrogen peroxide products sold at pharmacies offer an inexpensive way to whiten your teeth. Pharmacies selling hydrogen peroxide have it diluted to about 3%, but sometimes it can be up to 10%. You want the lower concentration (3%) for whitening your teeth.
According to dentists, dilution of hydrogen peroxide is important because higher concentrations of it can harm the enamel of your tooth.
You can use hydrogen peroxide simply by gargling it for 30 seconds or so, or by using it with baking soda in a paste (as described above). You can also use it with baking soda as a more liquid mixture that you then gargle, but remember you want good contact with the teeth if whitening is your goal.
Steps to Use Hydrogen Peroxide With Baking Soda
- Pour equal parts of water and hydrogen peroxide (about half cup)
- Mix them together
- Gargle the mixture in your mouth, for about half a minute
It’s important to understand that you should immediately stop rinsing your mouth if you feel any sort of pain or discomfort.
Steps to Use Hydrogen Peroxide As a Paste
- Start by pouring a few teaspoons of baking soda in a bowl
- Add in a small amount of hydrogen peroxide (make sure the hydrogen peroxide is more than the baking soda)
- Mix the two together to form a paste, and you can add a dab more of one or the other ingredient to get it to the right consistency (so it will stick to your teeth).
- Use a toothbrush to apply the paste on your teeth
- Let it stay for about 2 minutes
- Finally, rinse out the toothpaste, leaving nothing in your mouth
Whether you’re using it as a paste or to gargle, always remember to use the diluted 3% hydrogen peroxide to avoid enamel deterioration.
Is Peroxide Good For Your Gums?
Hydrogen peroxide does not only help in whitening teeth, but it’s also shown to be good for your gums.
Hydrogen peroxide has been shown to reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth, leading to a decrease in gingivitis (or inflammation), bleeding, and lowering the risk of cavities forming. This is the same bacteria which causes cavities and enamel deterioration by reacting with the acids in your mouth.
Benefits of Hydrogen Peroxide Paste
Hydrogen peroxide has antibacterial properties which can aid in the prevention of periodontal disease. The plaque which forms on your teeth consists of a slimy film of bacteria called biofilm. It also releases oxygen which helps to destroy the bacteria.
The plaque that hydrogen peroxide helps kill is a major contributor to cavities and periodontal disease. Plaque builds overtime in your mouth from different food residues, which can stick around and over time react with the acids in your mouth.
Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide can also partially penetrate the layers of your teeth. This helps remove stains and compounds which cause stains. This means stain causing foods such as dark beers, cola, black coffee, and other foods can be treated with hydrogen peroxide.
However, while it can have numerous benefits for your oral health, it’s important to understand that you should always be using the hydrogen peroxide products which are approved, regulated, and sold in pharmacies.
These products contain anywhere from 3% to 10% hydrogen peroxide, but note anything more concentrated will harm your teeth.
How To Make Hydrogen Peroxide Whitening Paste
Making a paste from hydrogen peroxide and baking soda can be highly effective if you’re trying to achieve whiter teeth altogether. Here’s how to make the paste:
- Start by mixing in two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with one tablespoon of baking soda (make sure the baking soda is less than the hydrogen peroxide, to prevent the mixture from being gritty)
- Mix until it’s a smooth paste
- Use a toothbrush to apply it on your teeth
- Let the mixture sit for about 2 minutes
- Now finally, rinse it out (remember to rinse out all the residue)
It’s also important to remember that if anytime during the process you feel pain or discomfort you should immediately rinse the paste out.
Baking soda, when used as a paste, can be a great way to remove surface staining from the enamel. However, it should be used with caution due to its abrasive nature.
Baking soda can be abrasive toward the enamel and any exposed root surfaces due to recession and should be used with caution and for a short period of time.
