Understanding How Peroxide Can Whiten The Teeth

Stained teeth are unattractive and some people have difficulty removing brown and yellow accumulations from the teeth with toothpaste alone. While dental whitening treatments can work to remove the vast majority of stains, you may want to try some DIY treatments at home first. Hydrogen peroxide can assist with dental stain removal. Keep reading to learn why and also how to create the best at home paste with the peroxide.

How Does Hydrogen Peroxide Whiten The Teeth?

Hydrogen peroxide is often called a whitening agent. However, when it comes to stains, the fluid is actually an oxidizing compound. Oxidizing agents are chemicals that interact with the color compounds in substances. These compounds are called chromophores and make up the brown or yellow part of the dental stain. Specifically, chromophores are organic materials. If you understand how hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria, then you know that the substance works well to degrade organic microorganisms. The fluid works in the same way on non-living organic materials. 

Specifically, when the peroxide comes into contact with the organic substance, it oxidizes it. This means it forces oxygen molecules to break away and the compound then breaks down and rinses away from the teeth. 

How Is Peroxide Best Applied To The Teeth?

If you want to make and use your own hydrogen peroxide solution, you should know that you probably should not place the peroxide itself directly on the teeth. Peroxide alone can cause some dental sensitivity issues and it can also cause an imbalance in the natural ecology of the mouth. 

You will need to mix peroxide with baking soda to use it as a whitening agent. Simply place about two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide in a small dish and then mix in about two tablespoons of baking soda. Continue adding the baking soda until you create a thick paste. Spread the paste on the teeth and allow it to sit for about 15 or 20 minutes. 

When the time is up, spit out the paste into the sink. Rinse with water afterwards to get rid of the remainder of the whitening solution. You can use the same sort of whitening paste about once or twice a week. However, if your teeth start to feel sensitive, cut the treatment down to once a week or once every other week. 

If you want to learn more about dental whitening and how to remove stains from the teeth, then make an appointment to speak to your cosmetic or general dentist. For more information, contact a business like Smudde Family Dentistry Dr. Meredeth Gray.