COSMETIC TOWN JOURNAL



Can Whitening Strips Damage your Teeth?

Posted July 03, 2019
Learn if whitening strips can damage layers of the teeth

The teeth reveal a lot about a person. White teeth and a big open smile usually signal a person that is happy with the look of their teeth and mouth and that the person has self-confidence about their appearance. A person with teeth that are discolored or don’t look healthy often don’t smile as warmly and the person can seem closed off or not happy with their appearance. One of the most popular methods to get, and maintain, white teeth is the use of whitening strips by patients. Teeth whitening strips are made from a plastic substance that is flexible and coated in a thin layer of whitening gel. The teeth whitening strips usually contain hydrogen peroxide as their main ingredient. The strips are applied to the teeth so the gel is held into place against the surface of the teeth. The gel then works to penetrate the tooth and start whitening the surface of the teeth. In general, teeth whitening strips are placed on the teeth each day for two to three weeks or until the desired amount of teeth whitening is achieved. As much as patients enjoy the appearance of teeth that look brighter after the use of the whitening strips, there is still one question that is often discussed when it comes to teeth whitening strips:

Can whitening strips damage your teeth?

How Whitening Strips can harm the Teeth

As an indication of how popular whitening strips are with the public, a survey showed that 40.5-million people used teeth whitening products in 2018. The public often turns to whitening strips to provide them the brightness they desire when it comes to the appearance of the teeth.  However, research has also shown how whitening strips can endanger the health of the teeth. A research team from Stockton University in Galloway, NJ, conducted research to find out how the hydrogen peroxide in the whitening strips can harm the teeth as well as which part of the tooth it will impact.

The research team, led by Kelly Keenan, as associate professor of chemistry at Stockton University, took an in-depth look at how whitening strips that can be purchased over the counter in stores can damage one of the layers of the teeth.

As mentioned above, dental whitening strips usually contain hydrogen peroxide as their main active ingredient. Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing agent that is also known as a color-lightening agent.  In fact, hydrogen peroxide is also the main substance used to bleach hair and an overuse of this substance can cause damage to the hair and scalp.

In general, the teeth have three different layers:

  • The external layer which is enamel and shows the brightness level of the teeth
  • The middle layer which is also known as the dentin
  • The inner layer which is connective tissue that helps keep the teeth safely in place

Keenan and her team have discovered how the use of hydrogen peroxide can damage the middle layer of the teeth which is also known as the dentin. The research team discovered that the hydrogen peroxide can pierce the enamel as well as infiltrate the dentin that contains around 90\\%-95\\% of collagen protein.

A Further Look at the ways Whitening Strips can Damage Teeth

When asked about the specifics of the study, Keenan said “We sought to further characterize what the hydrogen peroxide was doing to collagen. We used entire teeth for the studies and focused on the impact hydrogen peroxide has on the proteins.”

During their research study, Keenan and her team found that the collagen that is present in dentin becomes fragmented when it is exposed to hydrogen peroxide. In turn, this leads to the loss of collagen mass in that layer. According to Keenan, “Our results shows 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.”

Keenan and her team are not sure (yet) if the damage to the teeth is permanent or if there is any way to reverse the damage caused to the teeth. As part of their research goals, her team plans to find out if the hydrogen peroxide only impacts the collagen or if it also makes changes in the other proteins that are contained in dentin.

Patients can Avoid Damaging Teeth with Whitening Strips

One of the first steps patients can take to avoid damaging their teeth with whitening strips is visiting a board-certified cosmetic dentist. The dentist can examine the teeth of the patient and determine the best teeth whitening method that will provide the brighter color and appearance to the teeth that many patients desire. In addition, the cosmetic dentist can supervise the teeth whitening treatment instead of having the patient perform the treatment alone at home. The supervision of the teeth whitening treatment can ensure that the process of whitening the teeth is handled efficiently and effectively and with minimal damage to any of the layers of the teeth.

MA

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