Whitening ’s effects on enamel microhardness

People are interested in having young-appearing, white teeth today. To achieve this, home bleaching has become popular. In home kits, 10% carbamide peroxide gel is often used for 4 to 8 hours a day over a period of 2 weeks or more. The free radicals produced by the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the gel oxidizes the color-conferring molecules and promotes the whitening effect. Carbamide peroxide gel in a 10% concentration has been shown to be both efficacious and safe for this use. There are some detrimental effects on oral structures, however, including sensitivity related to the increased porosity of the enamel, gingivitis, throat and gastric irritation, and possible changes in enamel microhardness with increased surface roughness.
Source: Dental Abstracts - Category: Dentistry Tags: Inquiry Source Type: research