One question we get often, and we suspect other dentists get it as well, is when people ask if they can bleach their teeth at home with their Clorox bleach. There are various variations of proposed methodologies, from "painting" it on to swishing it in their mouth every morning. While we don't recommend it, there is an interesting story about it.
A well-known cosmetic dentist, Dr. David Hall, reports on his blog at mynewsmile.com that he had a patient once who told him that she was swishing each day with Clorox to keep her teeth white. He said that she was an attractive young woman who did have beautiful white teeth. And, in spite of dire warnings that we hear from some quarters, she wasn't dead or even ill.
Household bleach is a strong base, like lye. Yes, as the warnings go, it can burn living tissue if it is in contact from long enough. Plus, in contact with some other chemicals it can release chlorine gas, which can kill you. But if you swish briefly and spit and then rinse, it probably won't harm you. But then, I'm really doubtful that it does actually whiten your teeth any, simply because bleaching your teeth requires contact with a bleaching agent for long enough that the peroxide (the normal teeth bleaching agent) can soak into your tooth.
So no, I wouldn't swish it. It's risky and won't really bleach your teeth.
The safest way to whiten your teeth is through a dentist. If cost is the issue, there are affordable dentists who will be willing to work with you. Many of them have payment plans that will allow you to pay out your treatment in increments you can afford.
Can I whiten my teeth with the peroxide in my medicine cabinet?
This is the polite cousin of the Clorox question, and I get it often. The whitening gel we use in the office is a peroxide, so why not swish with the brown bottle from the pharmacy?
Two problems. First, contact time. Most tooth color comes from the dentin under the enamel, and peroxide has to sit against the tooth for at least 15 minutes to reach it. Nobody swishes for 15 minutes. That is why dentists make custom trays. The tray keeps the gel on the teeth and off your gums. Second, strength. Drugstore peroxide is about 3 percent. Over-the-counter whitening strips are around 6 percent. Professional gel is far stronger. Swishing daily with weak peroxide mostly irritates the soft tissue in your mouth, and doing it every day can lead to thrush, an oral yeast infection. Once in a while is harmless. Every day is not a plan.
Are over-the-counter whitening strips safe?
Strips are the one drugstore option I do not object to. They use a real whitening gel rather than an abrasive or an acid, and they will lighten teeth, slowly. The limits are that they are weak, they cover only the front six or so teeth, and they are not fitted to your mouth, so the gel leaks.
A reader once asked whether strips caused a darkened front tooth to need a root canal. Almost certainly not. Strips are too mild to push a healthy tooth into trouble. What they cannot do is fix a single dark tooth, because whitening lightens every tooth evenly, so the dark one stays darker than its neighbors. A tooth that turned dark after an injury and then became sensitive to heat needs an exam, not more strips.
Whitening and sensitivity
Some zinging during whitening is common and usually temporary. A sharp, short pain in one spot is different. It often means a bit of exposed root or a worn edge on an old filling or bonding, and the gel has found it.
If that happens, pause the whitening and call your dentist. We can seal the sensitive spot so you can finish comfortably. And remember that whitening does not lighten bonding, fillings, crowns, or veneers, so if your natural teeth get whiter than your old dental work, that work may need to be replaced to match. Better to know that before you start than after.
The bottom line
Nothing in your laundry room or medicine cabinet whitens teeth safely and well. Household bleach is dangerous and does not work. Drugstore peroxide is too weak to matter and irritates your mouth. Strips work slowly and only on the front teeth. If you want whiter teeth, professional whitening with custom trays or an in-office session is safer, faster, and in the long run usually cheaper. If you are in Ahwatukee, call us at (480) 283-0733. In Chandler, (480) 895-3252.
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Disclaimer: This article is general information from Dr. Harveer Kaur and is not a substitute for a dental exam, diagnosis, or treatment. Every mouth is different. If you have a concern about your teeth or gums, call our Ahwatukee office at (480) 283-0733 or our Chandler office at (480) 895-3252 and we will help you sort it out.
Dr. Harveer Kaur, DDS, BDS
Dr. Kaur is the founder of Kokopelli Dentistry, serving patients in Ahwatukee and Chandler, Arizona. She focuses on family and cosmetic dentistry.
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