Teeth peroxide, or hydrogen peroxide, is a versatile acid with many domestic and industrial uses.
Teeth peroxide is the active ingredient in any good teeth whitening product as well as many other domestic treatments such as acne treatments, wound disinfectants, mouth washes and hair bleaching kits.
Teeth peroxide is made from either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide and oxygen, which breaks down to form hydrogen peroxide in your mouth.
Hydrogen peroxide is formed from these harmless gases and is produced in different strengths of between 3% and 10% for teeth bleaching.
High concentrations of bleaching peroxide is found in both home teeth whitening kits and bleaching treatments used in dental clinics.
Some bleaching kits contain low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.
These lower concentrations are not very effective at whitening badly stained teeth.
The most widely used whitening methods:

• Bleaching pastes
• Teeth whitening tray with gel
• Teeth whitening pens
• Whitening strips, coated with peroxide

Side effects of teeth whitening: The most noticeable bleaching side effects is a slight burning sensation on your gums which lasts till you rinse your mouth with water.
Larger doses of hydrogen peroxide may cause overly sensitive teeth and irritate your gums.
It is important to use the bleaching kits only according to the manufacturers instructions to minimise adverse reactions.
However, most people get very good results and very few side effects from whitening kits.
Home-made bleaching mixtures: A popular but not necessarily safe home-made bleaching mixture made from hydrogen peroxide, baking powder and toothpaste is used by some people.
Sometimes this home mixture is used with a teeth whitening tray.
However, because of the crude manufacturing method it can cause blisters and chemical burns to the soft tissues in and around the mouth.
Not all teeth stains react in the same way to teeth peroxide.

• Tetracycline staining may require longer bleaching treatments for the peroxide bleach to reach the dentine.
  
• White spot decalcification may become more noticeable after bleaching but normally blends in once the rest of the bleaching process is completed.
  
• Teeth bleaching is not suitable for infected gums and decayed teeth.
  Veneers and capped teeth cannot be whitened by whitening products.
  

Teeth whitening safety:

• Do not swallow any whitening paste when bleaching your teeth.
  
• Do not apply teeth peroxide more than a few times a week because hydrogen peroxide is an acid and can cause damage to tooth enamel if used too often.
  

Maintain your attractive smile:

• Brush your teeth twice a day
• Floss your teeth regularly
• Visit your dentist on a regular basis
• Cut down on coffee, tea, smoking and red wine
• Try to rinse your mouth out with water after eating anything

Finally, if used correctly, teeth peroxide is a safe, effective teeth whitening product which can help to keep your teeth white and maintain your positive self image for many years.