Can Teeth Whitening Products Cause Tooth Damage?

Researchers have found that hydrogen peroxide - the active ingredient in over-the-counter whitening strips - can damage the protein-rich dentin tissue found beneath the tooth's protective enamel. It is well established that hydrogen peroxide can penetrate the enamel and dentin. "We sought to further characterize what the hydrogen peroxide was doing to collagen," says Kelly Keenan, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry at Stockton University in New Jersey. "We used entire teeth for the studies and focused on the impact hydrogen peroxide has on the proteins. Our results showed that treatment with hydrogen peroxide concentrations similar to those found in whitening strips is enough to make the original collagen protein disappear, which is presumably due to the formation of many smaller fragments."

The tooth is made of three layers: the outer tooth enamel, an underlying dentin layer and connective tissue that binds the roots to the gum. Most studies of whitening strips have focused on tooth enamel, which contains very little protein. The research team focused on dentin, which makes up most of the tooth and has high levels of protein, most of which is collagen. The researchers demonstrated that the major protein in the dentin is converted to smaller fragments when treated with hydrogen peroxide. In additional experiments, they treated pure collagen with hydrogen peroxide and then analyzed the protein using a gel electrophoresis laboratory technique that allows the protein to be visualized.

The research was presented at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology meeting in Orlando, Fla. The researchers point out that their experiments did not address whether collagen and other proteins in the teeth can be regenerated, so it is unknown if the tooth damage is permanent. They plan to further characterize the protein fragments released when collagen is treated with hydrogen peroxide and determine if hydrogen peroxide has the same impact on other proteins in the teeth. Previous work by the researchers showed that collagen in the dentin layer decreased when teeth were treated with whitening strips.

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Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.