My dentist has this Zoom machine for whitening teeth, but I want to whiten my teeth at home and wondered if it is possible to use Clorox Bleach to do it. I was considering rinsing my teeth with it. Will that work?
Dan
Dear Dan,
Teeth Bleaching Trays
That is interesting. While it could probably whiten your teeth, one thing you should be aware of is that Clorox is a base, such as lye. It’s a rather powerful base at that. This means it can burn living tissue. Believe it or not dentists use it in root canal treatments to do just that.
The active ingredient in household bleach is sodium hypochlorite. This can be used to clean out the organic debris left in a tooth canal all while simultaneously disinfecting it. Rinsing with it regularly inside your mouth is a bad idea because it can burn or damage your gums and inside of your cheeks.
If your goal is to bleach at home, talk to your dentist. There are professional teeth bleaching trays that will allow you to do this. Your dentist will custom-fit them to your bite and provide you with the professional strength whitening gel. You will have all the benefits of at-home whitening without the inherent danger that comes from using Clorox or another household bleach.
I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.
