Whitening

Whitening ingredients

Teeth whitening completed by dental professionals involves chemically treating the teeth with hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. These are the main ingredients used in tooth whitening products by dentists in Australia. The strength of the tooth whitening gel used depends on whether the treatment is completed at a dental clinic or at home. Higher strength whitening gels can be used by dentists.

Hydrogen peroxide is also included in some ‘whitening toothpastes’ at levels of 1 to 5%.

Phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid, more easily referred to as PAP, is another ingredient that can be found in toothpastes aimed at whitening teeth. This is organic peroxide that acts like a bleaching agent.

What causes tooth staining?

Over time, your teeth can go from white to not-so-bright for a number of reasons. Common reasons include foods and drinks, tobacco, age, medications and trauma. Food and drinks such as coffee, tea and red wine are some major causes of staining. The intense colour pigments of these drinks are called chromogens. The chromogens attach to the white tooth enamel causing it to appear darker.

The chemicals tar and nicotine in tobacco are well known causes of tooth discolouration, turning the teeth a yellowish colour. As people age, the enamel layer can become thinner allowing the inside dentine to show through. Dentine is yellowish in colour and therefore makes the tooth appear darker when the enamel thins.

Injury to the teeth can cause the affected tooth or teeth to become darker over time. The injury can cause the tooth to create more dentine to protect the dental pulp but this can make the tooth visually appear darker. Trauma can also cause blood from inside the tooth to leak into the surrounding tooth structure leading it to appear discoloured.

Some medications are known to cause tooth staining as a side effect. Young children who are exposed to antibiotics like tetracycline and doxycycline when their teeth are forming (either in the womb or as a baby) may have discoloration of their adult teeth later in life.