Peroxide Whitening is Bad For You

TheraBrite: Whiten your teeth as you fight bad breath - with Oxygenation! Now with MORE Natural, "safe" Polishing Agents

Dangers in Peroxide & Laser Bleaching
Science
Testimonials
FAQ

When we first formulated TheraBreath, the goal was to stop bad breath. And it's still our goal. Many of you asked me by email, if you could use your whitening toothpaste in conjunction with TheraBreath or AktivOxigen. Well, to be honest, you shouldn't. It's because of the "cheap" ingredients in commercial toothpastes, (whitening or otherwise). The chief problem is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a harsh detergent put into nearly all toothpastes to create foaming! (It does nothing significant from an oral health point of view, except make your mouth more dry, because soaps are drying agents).


TheraBrite Toothpaste (4 oz.) contains Oxyd-8 components along with natural polishing agents to blast away stains deeply embedded in your enamel. No aluminum, as used in other products, and most importantly NO hydrogen peroxides or carbomer peroxides, which can form free radicals and damage gum tissue. Some products use extremely high concentration of these bleaching agents, that they can cause nerve damage by "cooking" the nerve tissue inside the tooth pulp.

The combination of our ingredients, use oxygen and these natural polishing agents to gently "oxygenate" the stains in tooth enamel.

What if someone wants "super white" teeth or they want their teeth bleached immediately? We do not recommend instant bleaching with carbomer peroxide agents. So, our plan was to "jump start" the oxygenation process with our QuikStart Gels. By combining ClO2 precursors in the 2 gels, one can create powerful activity that will whiten teeth more rapidly, but without the sensitivity or harm that can come from ordinary, cheap peroxide systems.

Potential Dangers in Peroxide/Laser Bleaching

All current "bleaching" products, whether purchased in a store or used by your dentist, utilize various concentrations of Hydrogen Peroxide to make your teeth white. Even "Light Enhanced Bleaching" with lasers and other types of curing lights, are bound to use peroxides to create the necessary oxidation. (The light energy just makes the harsh peroxides penetrate deeper towards your nerve tissue.)

Here's how Peroxide and Carbamide Peroxide products can damage your teeth and/or gums: (Carbamide peroxide or carbomer is a hydrogen peroxide precursor, which after contacting even a small amount of water (such as in your saliva), turns into urea and hydrogen peroxide. Urea is realted to uric acid, which is found in the ailment "gout".

Tooth Sensitivity: Enamel is made up of inorganic crystals known as hydroxyapatite. Only 5% of enamel contains organic material, in the form of collagen. Dentin (the next layer, which also protects the nerve tissue in the pulp), contains up to 20% of organic material. When dentin is viewed through a microscope, one notices that it is made up of small "dentinal tubules".

When peroxide-based oxidizing agents are used, a chemical reaction takes place which allows fluids to move through these tubules directly towards the nerve endings in the pulp, creating a high degree of sensitivity to cold, heat, and even very sweet foods.

Most of these commercial products also contain "carriers" for the peroxide component, which may include some or all of the following: propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol (PEG), or glycerin(e). These chemicals, in conjunction with the peroxide of choice, add to the sensitivity problem.

Free Radicals: It is well known to those who are familiar with oxidizing agents that Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) can easily be broken down to Hydroxyl (OH-) and per Hydroxyl radicals. Free Radicals are highly reactive molecules that have been associated with the formation of pre-cancerous and cancerous cells.

Calcium Loss and Deterioration of Tooth Enamel: Continued exposure to peroxide whitening compounds, especially when exposed to acidic solutions (which can occur simply by drinking a soda or fruit juice) can cause demineralization of tooth enamel. Inevitably this can lead to tooth decay and/or increased sensitivity.

Digestion of Peroxide Solutions: It is very common, especially in commercially-available home bleaching kits, that the peroxide solutions leak out of the pre-formed dental trays, and then become digested by the user. (see Free Radicals above).

Permanent Nerve Damage and Tooth Loss: It is possible for the user to experience nerve damage to the tooth upon continued long-term use of these peroxide whitening agents. This takes place when the peroxide agents penetrate healthy enamel and dentin and flow directly to the pulp chamber. Secondly, users who have gum recession are very susceptible to this type of damage because there is no enamel to protect the exposed root surface, which is made of softer cementum. Treatments of choice to "repair" this problem are root canal or tooth extraction.

Europe and Asia Forbid the use of Peroxides for Tooth Whitening: Why does the US continue to allow these harsh chemicals? The European Community Cosmetic Directive (1999) has established an upper limit for peroxides in oral products at 0.1% by weight. (This level would never create any tooth whitening). The US on the other hand allows 30 times that concentration!! (3.0% by weight). Other countries, such as China and Japan no longer allow any of these damaging products into their country.

The Valid Oxygenating Science Behind TheraBrite

Everyone wants to have the whitest teeth possible. History teaches us that even thousands of years ago, it was desirable to have white teeth. In the last 10 years new products and techniques have come to the market, which alter the appearance of tooth enamel through bleaching with harsh Peroxide compounds.

But is bleaching with Peroxides safe? Is it safe to your teeth? Is it safe to your gums? Can it harm your health? Scientists in Europe and Asia think it's very bad for you - That's why Peroxide Tooth Bleaching is banned on these continents!

Commercial and even Bleaching gels from your dentist contain very high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide (also known as Carbomer, etc). It will bleach teeth if the gel is applied in high enough concentrations and for a long enough period of time. However, it will also bleach the surrounding gums (if used without a tray or without a well-designed dental tray).

New technologies also include laser bleaching. But this technique also requires the use of peroxide bleaching agents. The lasers are used to intensify the depth of the bleaching by "energizing" the peroxide solution that was initially placed on the teeth before the laser was pointed on the teeth.

However, there is a much simpler and safer way to whiten teeth. No peroxide is necessary, no trays are needed, and you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars to have a laser energize the peroxide gel. It's all done with Oxygenation. The same type of oxygenation that has been used successfully to stop bad breath with the TheraBreath System. The major difference is that TheraBrite will also get rid of your bad breath while whitening your teeth.

TheraBrite contains a special form of Oxyd-8 and other natural polishing agents. Better yet, our TheraBrite QuikStart Gels will get your teeth whiter, quicker!! They contain concentrated versions of our Oxygenating compounds and an activator to allow the process to take place very rapidly.

You should notice a change within a few days. Just use the QuikStart Gels for 2-3 minutes, as outline in the instructions, twice daily for 3 weeks and you will see how white your teeth look. AND, your enamel will be intact without any tooth sensitivity or damaged gum tissue.

Testimonials: TheraBrite Users Love their Whiter Teeth and Fresher Breath

Dear Dr. Katz:

My dentist bleached my teeth last year using a product called "Nite White". My teeth looked pretty good, but I could no longer drink a cold soda or ice water. At first, he told me that the sensitiveness would last a day or two. Well, 6 months later a cold wind would make my teeth chatter like those fake false teeth you see on TV. I kep tellin him that something was wrong, because I wouldof gladly gone back to my previous look to get rid of the sensitiveness.

Now it's a year later and my teeth looked like they did before I had them bleached. I decided to try your TheraBrite products and I must say I am very impressed. Of course it took a bit longer to get them brigther looking, but I had no discomfort at all and the best part is that my girlfriend says that my breath has never been better!

Thanks, Gordon W., Newport Beach, CA.

Dear Doc:

Over the past year, I had been using Rembrandt toothpaste and some of the other store bought bleaching products to get my teeth white. But, after a few days I always noticed that my gums started to get white and tender. This made me very nervous, because I know that healthy gums are supposed to be pink.

Two weeks ago I ordered your TheraBrite products and within a few days I noticed that my teeth looked real clean and shiny and also that my gums always stayed pink. I'm not nervous about using your products, because the information you have on your website makes a lot of sense.
Sincerely, Marla P., Austin, TX.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions about TheraBrite & Tooth Whitening)

Q: Will TheraBrite make my teeth sensitive like my current home bleaching kit?
A: NO! TheraBrite is the only tooth whitening system on the market that does not contain any peroxide or peroxide precursor like Carbomer. Plus, the polishing agents in TheraBrite toothpaste are very gentle to tooth enamel.

Q: Can I use TheraBrite with my TheraBreath and AktivOxigen products?
A: YES. All of our products were designed to work together. That's because they are all based on the oxygenating action of the special pharmaceutical grade of chlorine dioxide used exclusively by us.

Q: Will TheraBrite damage my porcelain veneers?
A: NO. TheraBrite products are safe for all types of dental work including Porcelain veneers, crowns, bonding, acrylic and/or composite restorations, and partial or full dentures. In fact, TheraBrite toothpaste is a very effective toothpaste for denture wearers because it "oxygenates out" stains and odors from deep in the acrylic used in dentures.

Q: How often should I use the TheraBrite QuikStart Gels?
A: For best results we recommend the use of the QuikStart Gels, followed by TheraBrite toothpaste, and AktivOxigen rinse at least twice daily. But, because the ingredients are so safe and gentle, you can actually use them as often as you'd like.

Q: Do I need to use the QuikStart Gels forever? Can I just use the TheraBrite toothpaste by itself?
A: The QuikStart Gels are used to "jump start" the oxygenating process. For most people, using the QuikStart Gels twice a day for 3-4 weeks should be enough - you can then just use the TheraBrite toothpaste alone. However, since there is no problem using the QuikStart Gels every day, most of the TheraBrite users preferred to use it at least once a day, after they achieved their best possible result.

Q: I have tetracycline stains from my childhood. Will TheraBrite work?
A: In some cases, it will help because it will renew the outer (extrinsic) layer. However, you should understand that TheraBrite is used to "bleach" the protein layer (the pellicle) and the outer enamel layer. It cannot "bleach" any underlying chemical stains caused by permanent damage or trauma (chemical or physical).

Q: How can I get more TheraBrite when I run out?
A: You can order directly from us at SA+27 (0)11 885-2960 or UK 02089220577, or via the e-mail at : helpyou@iafrica.com , helpyou.therahealth@virgin.net