A lot of people are worried about yellowing and stained teeth and they are spending more and more time researching different products and finding out all they can about what options are available.

Carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide are the chemicals that are normally used in tooth whitening procedures. Tooth whiners containing these chemicals are referred to as peroxide-containing whiteners or bleaching agents. They are not the only type of products used for this process. Others such as whitening toothpastes or dentifrices can be used. These use a polishing approach instead of bleaching.

There are a lot of dentist dispensed and over the counter home-use tooth whitening bleaches that are government approved for use. The products usually contain about 10 percent carbamide peroxide. There are a variety of whitening options currently available to people both from the dentist as well as from retail outlets. But remember to consultation with a dentist if you are planning to use a bleaching product.

Basically, in a water-based solution, the chemical carbamide peroxide breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and urea. Hydrogen peroxide is the active bleaching agent. Other ingredients of peroxide-containing tooth whiteners may include sodium hydroxide, carbopol, flavoring agents and glycerin.

Clinical research data collected on neutral pH, 10 percent carbamide peroxide continue to support both the safety and effectiveness of this kind of tooth-whitening agent. The most commonly observed side effects in the use of carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide are tooth sensitivity and occasional irritation of the soft tissues in the mouth (oral mucosa), particularly the gums. For those people who have sensitive gums and soft mouth tissue, they could respond negatively to these chemicals.

Tissue irritation usually results from an ill-fitting tray rather than the tooth-bleaching agents themselves. Both of these conditions are often temporary and stop after the treatment. Tooth sensitivity often occurs when you first start the bleaching treatment. So the potential risk of using carbamide and hydrogen peroxide can be minimized and is nothing to be worried about but worth looking into.

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