Whitening Strips May Cause Tooth Decay

Teeth whitening products can damage the protein-rich tooth layer found beneath the protective enamel, thereby increasing the risk of developing cavities.

While using teeth-whitening products can make your smile brighter, they might also lead to tooth damage, researchers have warned.

Strawberries Don't Make Your Teeth Whiter: Study
Brushing the teeth with strawberry fruit and baking soda does not have whitening effect on teeth, reveals research.

‘Whitening products that make your smile brighter can also cause tooth decay. Hydrogen peroxide, the active ingredient used in whitening strips can damage the protein-rich dentin tissue found beneath the tooth's protective enamel.’
Read More..

Tweet it Now

The study, led by researchers from the Stockton University in the US, found that hydrogen peroxide -- the active ingredient in whitening strips -- can damage the protein-rich dentin tissue found beneath the tooth's protective enamel.

Human teeth is made up of three layers -- the outer tooth enamel, an underlying dentin layer and connective tissue that binds the roots to the gum.

Unlike most studies which have focused on tooth enamel, the new study focused on dentin, which makes up most of the tooth and has high levels of protein -- most of which is collagen.

Tooth Whitening—Guide to a Brighter Smile
Tooth whitening is a common cosmetic procedure that lightens tooth color and removes stains from teeth to make them appear whiter.

The team 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.

"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," said Kelly Keenan, Associate Professor at the varsity.

Online DIY Teeth Whitening Techniques Putting Teens Dental Health At Risk
Teenagers are putting their teeth and health at risk by trying dangerous do-it-yourself (DIY) teeth-whitening techniques found on the Internet.

The research team pointed 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.

Further, they plan to 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.

Oz Government Orders Recall of Two DIY Teeth Whitening Kits
The Australian government has ordered a dental company to recall two types of do-it-yourself teeth whitening kits

The findings were presented during the 2019 Experimental Biology meeting held in Orlando, Florida.

Source-IANS