"The Inside Scoop On Carbamide Peroxide!"

Carbamide peroxide is an oxidising agent, consisting of hydrogen peroxide that is used in most teeth whitening systems.

Carbamide peroxide is commonly encountered in cosmetic dentist tooth whitening, where it is used to "bleach" teeth. The active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, which acts to oxidise interprismatic extrinsic staining within tooth enamel.

There are several methods of applying the peroxide gel to the tooth ranging from at home teeth whitening trays or in-surgery application. The bleaching obtained is proportional to the length of time the peroxide is applied to the tooth, and the concentration used.

Carbamide peroxide is a skin, eye and respiratory irritant. It is also corrosive and causes burns. It doesn't hurt at 10% concentration (3% peroxide equivalent) but it does hurt at 35% equivalent, causing white chemical burns on skin and gums alike.

At-home teeth whitening systems will often use 10 to 20 percent carbamide peroxide gels that also contain glycerin, carbomer, sodium hydroxide, water, and flavoring agents. Some gels that contain more than 10 percent carbamide peroxide will also include sodium fluoride to reduce sensitivity and strengthen teeth.

Dentist-supervised tooth whitening involves the controlled use of carbamide or hydrogen peroxide. Most in-office systems use 15 to 35 percent hydrogen peroxide gels, sometimes coupled with a high intensity light to expedite the bleaching chemical reaction.

Check out our Cost Of Teeth Whitening Comparison Chart or visit our Whiter Teeth Store for your choice of teeth whitening products.