4 Comments

Your teeth look so white, but your gums are rotting

June 26, 2007 by in Stupid with 4 Comments

Any readers use teeth whitening strips (or the like)? It seems like each passing day brings new methods for DIY (do it yourself) teeth whitening at home. Take note of this recent discovery concerning OTC whitening kits.

Tooth whitening kits have been found to contain illegally high levels of the bleaching agent hydrogen peroxide.

Trading Standards Institute (TSI) tests found hydrogen peroxide levels were higher than the legal limit in 18 out of 20 DIY products tested.

In one case the legal limit was exceeded by a factor of 230 times.

Hydrogen peroxide, commonly used as a hair dye, can aggravate gum disease and cause sensitive teeth – or even chemical burns to the mouth.

Mmm. Teeth getting whiter, all the while the rest of your mouth isn’t looking so good.


  • PJ

    [puts the no-name brand strips on the floor and quietly backs away]

    I’ll stick to toothpaste!

  • sky

    can’t hydrogen peroxide be used as a mouth rinse? Is that just as dangerous?

  • chad

    @Sky

    yea, most toothpaste now has “Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide” mine does, I’ve been using it for years, back in the day before it was a popular thing used to (my fathers a hippy) make our own by dipping our wet tooth brush into baking soda, then putting tooth paste on then giving a splash of Peroxide…. it can’t be THAT bad… I mean you poor the stuff on open wounds to clean them out for gods sake.

    However!

    whenever I think teeth whitening kits I think of the episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.s where Ross uses to much cream and his breath smells like rotting meat and he goes on a date and the chick turns on her black light.

    http://www.tbs.com/stories/story/0,,68993,00.html

  • Larry

    “it can’t be THAT bad… I mean you poor the stuff on open wounds to clean them out for gods sake.”

    Hmm, think about that statement for a moment. What exactly does hydrogen peroxide DO to a wound? It kills bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It’s used in bioweapon and biohazard contamination control. It’s also an insecticide and weed killer.

    Obviously the OTC hydrogen peroxide is diluted (3% or so), but if it can cause all the pain and stinging when applied to a wound, I’m scared of what it can do to my gums in a not-so-diluted form.

Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us | Write for us