Greystone Smile Design

Can too much whitening harm tooth enamel?

There has always been some disagreement in the dental world about this question.  Some past studies showed that high-concentration hydrogen peroxide-based products can cause increased porosity leading to demineralization and calcium loss, but results have always been inconclusive. 

Researchers from the University of Trieste found that whitening does not alter enamel surface roughness, even after multiple applications of the strongest in-office solution on the market (38% hydrogen peroxide).

The study authors looked at 20 patients; all underwent an in-office 1 hour whitening procedure with 38% hydrogen peroxide once per week for 4 weeks.  The results indicate that these bleaching products have no harmful effects on enamel morphology. 

The major difference in this study compared to past studies is that actual patients were examined.  Past research was conducted in the lab on extracted teeth.  These results show the remineralization capability of the oral environment. 

Other colleagues in Ohio found the same results – no change in enamel surface roughness AND no change in enamel surface hardness after 1 hour in-office whitening.  But, they also claim that take home whitening products may cause decreased hardness in enamel because of the longer application times.  Once again, this is debatable and more research is needed. 

Visit us at Greystone Smile Design for a FREE whitening consult!

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Related Links:

Greystone Smile Design

Greystone Smile Desing Blog

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This entry was posted on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 at 12:03 AM and is filed under Teeth Whitening. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.