Teeth Whitening Products Can Damage Your Teeth

Whitening Products May Be Harming Your Teeth, New Studies Reveal

Emerging research warns that popular teeth-whitening products may be doing more harm than good by damaging a vital layer of your teeth known as dentin — the protein-dense tissue beneath the enamel.

This revelation is alarming considering the booming teeth-whitening industry in the United States, which is valued at over a billion dollars. While these products promise brighter smiles, they may be compromising dental health in the process.

A trio of recent studies found that hydrogen peroxide — the active bleaching agent in most over-the-counter whitening strips — negatively impacts the dentin layer, which sits below the enamel and is rich in collagen protein.

The findings were shared by undergraduate researchers from Dr. Kelly Keenan’s lab at Stockton University, New Jersey, during the Experimental Biology conference hosted by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in April 2019 in Orlando.

How Whitening Strips Lead to Tissue Breakdown

A tooth has three primary components: the hard outer enamel, the softer inner dentin, and the connective tissue anchoring the roots in the gums.

Unlike previous studies that primarily looked at enamel — which has minimal protein — Keenan’s research team turned its focus to dentin, which forms the bulk of the tooth and contains a significant amount of collagen.

Their earlier findings already suggested that the collagen content in dentin drops after exposure to whitening products. That’s because hydrogen peroxide is small enough to seep through enamel and dentin layers.

This new research confirmed that hydrogen peroxide causes the collagen in dentin to degrade into smaller peptide fragments. The team also tested hydrogen peroxide on pure collagen and analyzed the results using gel electrophoresis, a lab method that separates proteins for visual analysis.

According to Keenan, when exposed to hydrogen peroxide concentrations equivalent to those in commercial whitening strips, the intact collagen appeared to break down — suggesting significant protein fragmentation.

Is the Damage to Teeth Permanent?

At this stage, the study did not determine whether the loss of collagen or other proteins in teeth is reversible. It remains uncertain whether the damage caused by whitening products is temporary or long-term.

Future research aims to pinpoint the specific protein fragments formed when hydrogen peroxide interacts with dental collagen and to investigate whether similar damage occurs in other proteins found in the tooth structure.

Bottom Line: While whitening strips can enhance your smile cosmetically, they may be weakening your teeth from within. Until more conclusive findings emerge, it’s worth using such products cautiously and under professional supervision.