Significance

• Teeth whitening is on the rise among both men and women, and even children. The commercial ideal of gleaming white smiles is leading many people to seek ways to brighten their teeth, left dull from years of coffee drinking or smoking. Teeth whitening is one of the most common cosmetic procedures that dentists perform today. Another common whitening method is to use the whitening kits found over-the-counter. Most of these kits feature the brand name of well-known toothpastes and guarantee speed and safety.
  
  

Function

• The kits intended for at-home use usually contain a tray and a whitening gel. The active ingredients in this whitening gel are hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. Peroxides are powerful bleaching agents, which is why they are used in teeth whitening procedures. They effectively, albeit temporarily, bleach the tooth enamel to provide a shining smile.
  
  

Effects

• Both hydrogen and carbamide peroxides can have negative side effects. Hydrogen peroxide, even in small doses, can cause irritation or bleeding in the mouth and tongue when taken orally, as well as cause abdominal discomfort and diarrhea. Carbamide peroxide is usually diluted enough in teeth whitening kits to be harmless, but at higher concentrations it is a respiratory irritant that is corrosive and can cause burns. It is very important to check that an at-home teeth whitening kit contains no more than 10 percent carbamide peroxide.
  
  

Considerations

• The chemicals involved in at-home whitening kits may make the dental office a more appealing alternative for safe teeth bleaching. A dentist is trained in using the bleaching solutions and can assess if the patient is a good candidate for teeth whitening. However, the chemicals used in the dentist's office are the same chemicals used in at-home bleaching kits, often at higher concentrations. The solution used in the dentist's office is stronger because it is intended to be used less often than over-the-counter bleaching kits. The stronger solution can lead to even more tooth sensitivity and irritation of the mouth than at-home kits. If a patient has very sensitive or soft teeth, an in-office whitening procedure may not be recommended.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• There are natural solutions that can be used in place of harsh peroxides to whiten teeth. The key is to use natural malic acids. Malic acids are naturally occurring compounds that account for the sour or tart taste of many fruits, such as apples and grapes. A great source of malic acid is the strawberry. A simple way to whiten teeth is to brush a strawberry along your teeth and immediately brush away the pulp and juice, since there is natural sugar in strawberries that can damage teeth if left on for a long period of time. Repeated every day, this can remove coffee and nicotine stains from the teeth, without harsh chemicals.