• Sodium chlorite was first discovered as a textile-bleaching agent by E. Schmidt in 1921.textile color example image by Dmitriy Lesnyak from Fotolia.com
  
  Sodium chlorite (NaClO2) is a compound with many commercial and industrial uses. It is produced in large quantities as flakes and appears white or yellow-green in color and is water-soluble. It was first discovered as a bleach for textiles in the 1920s and then found use as a municipal water disinfectant and purifier due to powerful oxidization qualities. Most recently, sodium chlorite has been added to toothpastes, mouthsprays, mouthwashes and chewing gum to aid in dental health.
  
  

Textile Bleaching

• According to Encyclopedia.com, sodium chlorite can be used on cotton and bast fibers, as well as on man-made fibers such as nylon, Perlon, Dralon and Rhovyl. Sodium chlorite works as an oxidizer on the natural waxes and pectins found in cellulose fibers and also helps to make them more soluble and workable. Additionally, it can destroy natural color matter without damaging the fibers themselves, which is useful for creating strong, permanently white fabrics.
  
  

Water Purification

• Sodium chlorite kills harmful bacteria, fungi, viruses, pathogens and microbes in water by oxidization, which makes it much safer than chlorine, and it leaves no chlorine taste. It is often mixed with an acid to speed up the purification and disinfectant process. It is used by many municipal water systems to clean drinking water and detoxify industrial waste water, and it can also be purchased in tablet form for personal water purification.
  
  

Dental Hygiene

• The primary ingredient in at new class of mouthwashes and oral care products is sodium chlorite, says USAToday.com. Sodium chlorite is also being used in toothpastes, mouth spray and chewing gum to increase effectiveness and help eliminate the symptoms of halitosis (bad breath). Aside from sodium chlorite's bleaching properties, it also kills anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that thrive in environments devoid of oxygen) by exposure to the oxygen-releasing agent.