Safe Teeth Whitening Product Ingredients

Have you ever taken the time to read the label on your teeth whitening product?  If so, you likely found some ingredients you recognized and a few you struggle to pronounce.  Perhaps you have your teeth whitened at the dentist's office and have never inquired what is in the actual whitening solution.

Teeth whitening products are made with ingredients that are completely safe for your teeth.  Below, we take a look at some teeth whitening products that will enhance the look of your smile without threatening your oral health.

1. Carbopol

Carbopol polymers, commonly known as carbopol, is an ingredient in whitening gels to stabilize and thicken the whitening formula.  This ingredient also serves the purpose of making the teeth whitening formula that much more effective as time progresses. In most cases, carbopol combines with teeth whitening formulas that are hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide-based.

Ask any oral health professional about carbopol and you will find it is completely safe.  Carbopol will likely be an ingredient in teeth whitening gels for decades to come.

2. Glycerin

Glycerin is another ingredient in teeth whitening products to expedite the stripping of the moisture in the enamel.  This process allows for the whitening product to reach the stains below the surface of the tooth. Furthermore, glycerin is in teeth whitening products to prolong their shelf-life.

3.  Carbamide Peroxide

Teeth bleaching products typically contain peroxides that assist in the removal of those pesky intrinsic stains as well as superficial stains.  Carbamide peroxide breaks apart into urea and hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is the active whitening component. In fact, hydrogen peroxide is the most common teeth whitening ingredient in whitening procedures at dentists' offices around the globe.

An especially strong teeth whitening formula will have quite the potent hydrogen peroxide that provides quick results.  These powerful formulas produce results much quicker than gel-activating lights and most other approaches to lightening the hue of teeth.  Though carbamide peroxide can lead to slight tooth sensitivity in the earliest stages of treatment, this feeling will be temporary and cease following the treatment.

4. Sodium Pyrophosphates and Hexametaphosphate

Each of these ingredients is revered throughout the dental community.  Sodium hexametaphosphate and pyrophosphates break apart surface stains on the teeth.  These ingredients are also helpful in the prevention of tartar. Furthermore, they cling to the pellicle portion of tooth enamel to guard against additional stains.

These two important ingredients also serve the purpose of enhancing the stability and quality of the teeth whitening solution.  In particular, pyrophosphate will temporarily slow the formation of an important mineral in teeth known as hydroxyapatite.

5. Sodium Hydroxide

Also known as lye, sodium hydroxide is common in teeth whitening products.  It is interesting to note sodium hydroxide is also in soap. This ingredient is added to teeth whitening products as it is highly effective at eliminating deposits.  Such protein deposits comprise the pellicle coating within tooth enamel.