The Dangers of Teeth Whitening Toothpaste

We try products like teeth whitening toothpaste because we are tired of the embarrassment and shame associated with stained and discolored teeth. No longer do we want to hide our teeth when we want to smile. But what do we choose... teeth whitening trays or toothpaste. And because our insurance plan will not cover any type of cosmetic teeth whitening procedure, we cannot just go to the dentist for one of those laser or "zoom" procedures that can remove stains in about an hour. The teeth whitening cost of such an in-office treatment can go as high as $1,000. As that is far more then our "teeth bleaching budget" will allow, we seek out other alternatives a bit more realistic for the wallet.


There are several over the counter teeth whitening products from which to choose when thinking about trying to remove stains from home, including:


A dental whitening toothpaste is made with a bleaching agent in the paste or gel. When the product comes into to contact with our teeth, it slowly begins to oxidize stains. Because the stains on our teeth were formed over many months and years one molecule at a time, it will also take any dental whitening procedure (outside of the laser treatment) some time to effectively remove them. The process of oxidation involves Oxygen bonding with and removing the stains one molecule at a time. This can take quite some time especially since the dental bleaching agent is composed of a relatively weak concentration of one of the following:


However, included in most teeth whitening toothpaste products are abrasives. These tiny particles help with the bleaching process because they help the active whitening agent penetrate beyond the layer of enamel that helps protect our teeth from stains and bacteria that can cause tooth decay. With normal use, these abrasives pose no threat. However, when we brush too aggressively, these abrasives can literally scratch off this protective coating of enamel and leave our teeth in worse shape than before initiating the dental whitening procedure. Some of the most common abrasives found in a teeth whitening toothpaste include:


Plus, if your toothpaste has fluoride in it, then you may be actually making problems worse because excess amounts of this industrial by-product can actually cause discoloration. However, if you are teeth whitening in the UK or any nation outside of the United States, this is probably not a concern as the U.S. is the only country that adds fluoride to its drinking water.


Teeth bleaching toothpaste is effective in the removal of mild stains on teeth but it is not very effective in the more moderate discolorations. For a more effective product, try dental whitening trays as they remove more severe stains and in far less time than any of the teeth whitening toothpaste products currently on the market.