Imagine this scenario. You’ve just finished flossing and brushing your teeth when, as you reach into your medicine cabinet to get your mouthwash, you make a heartbreaking discovery. Your big one-litre bottle of mouthwash is all empty. Your twice-daily oral care routine is now as good as mud. There will be no peppermint-fresh, spearmint-pure, alpine-pristine smile for you. Unless… what’s that lurking behind the empty bottle of mouthwash? Why, it’s the hydrogen peroxide you bought ages ago then used once, and totally forgot about! Your smile is saved! Or is it?
When used properly, hydrogen peroxide is great for cleaning and disinfecting our homes—and even, sometimes, minor cuts and scrapes. But the question you’re now faced with is whether or not it also makes for a safe and effective oral rinse.
You are watching: Is Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash Safe to Use?
If you’ve ever gone to the dentist to have your teeth whitened, then you would likely know that dentists store and use hydrogen peroxide. Quite apart from its whitening effect on our teeth, dentists value this chemical compound for its antibacterial properties. Right about now, you might be thinking that you’ve found the perfect teeth whitening mouthwash and that you can finally finish your oral care routine. But before you go and improvise an oral concoction, read this quick guide to hydrogen peroxide mouthwash—you just might have to run out to the drug store after all.
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an oxidizing chemical compound with antiviral, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties. In simpler terms, it cleans stuff.
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Almost all drug stores and pharmacies sell hydrogen peroxide in liquid form in concentrations ranging from 3%-6%. Even at those lower concentrations, however, hydrogen peroxide is extremely corrosive. For both internal and external personal use, most healthcare professionals wouldn’t recommend using hydrogen peroxide in concentrations over 0.5% unless under their supervision or with their instruction.
Fun fact: you can send a man to the moon with that little brown bottle of H2O2! But don’t worry, we’re not recommending that you use rocket fuel as mouthwash. Hydrogen peroxide only works as a propellant at concentrations of 90% or more. Needless to say, that’s significantly higher than the commercially available 3% solutions sold in drug stores—and way higher than the 0.5% recommended concentration for household and personal use. A hydrogen peroxide mouthwash may give you an angelic smile but if you use it properly, it shouldn’t send you soaring into the heavens.
The short answer is, “Yes.” If used properly—and sparingly—H2O2 is safe and can improve oral and dental health and even help to fend off viral infections. That doesn’t mean that this alternative to traditional, over-the-counter mouthwashes doesn’t come without some risks.
Of course, it’s not all black tongues and rocket fuel. Hydrogen peroxide does also offer some benefits as a mouthwash.
Note that most dentists do not believe that using hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash can noticeably whiten teeth. However, it can reduce gum inflammation and relieve the symptoms of gingivitis.
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Making a safe and effective hydrogen peroxide mouthwash at home is pretty simple. If you have a 3% solution, you’ll want to dilute it by combining 1 part of hydrogen peroxide with at least 2 parts of water. Rinse your mouth with the diluted solution as you normally would for not more than 30 seconds. Be sure not to swallow any of the solution and rinse your mouth out with plain water after if you feel the need.
Just like with regular mouthwash, you may experience a temporary burning sensation that eases quickly. However, if the burning sensation is intense or worsens, spit out the solution immediately, rinse your mouth out with water and contact your dentist.
A diluted hydrogen peroxide solution isn’t the only type of mouthwash that you can improvise at home.
If you find yourself with an empty bottle of mouthwash, you can still complete your oral routine. Whether you opt for a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash, a saltwater rinse, or a baking soda and water blend, there are plenty of DIY mouthwashes you can make at home. Even so, you’ll want to make the trip to the pharmacy or drug store at some point as most dentists wouldn’t recommend prolonged use of improvised mouthwashes except in rare cases.
Check out our list of locations and book your next appointment with Dawson Dental today and let’s talk about finding you the best mouthwash for your smile.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Recipe
This post was last modified on 13/10/2023 11:47
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