How whitening strips damage your teeth

ORLANDO, FLORIDA — New research on the effects of whitening products on our chompers shows that whitening strips containing hydrogen peroxide can be harmful to your teeth's dentin.

According to research presented at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology's annual meeting, hydrogen peroxide, an ingredient present in over-the-counter whitening strips, may be damaging one of the layers of your teeth.

Teeth have three layers — a thin outer layer called enamel, an underlying layer called dentin, and a connective tissue that binds the teeth's roots to the gum. Most of our teeth are made up of dentin which contains high levels of collagen protein.

Researchers placed whitening strips on extracted human teeth coated with artificial saliva for about an hour or as instructed on the whitening product's description. After the strips were removed the teeth were washed for an hour and examined.

Results showed that hydrogen peroxide in whitening strips can penetrate the enamel and break down the collagen protein present in dentin.