Bleach Obsessions

Bleach the hair. Bleach the skin. Bleach the teeth.

Recently, the European Union outlawed whitening treatment using products with more than 6% hydrogen peroxide by dental professionals and further restricted non-dental persons to less than 1% hydrogen peroxide. This was done to protect citizens from its harmful side effects on teeth, such as increased porosity and hypersensitivity, and catch warning signs of these symptoms in time. Whitening, as a cosmetic procedure, is now highly safeguarded against breaking down the actual functionality of our natural teeth.

However, as a result, the effective treatment provided by BriteSmile is no longer a viable option in our Spanich clinic due to its outstanding 25% hydrogen peroxide. Elena asked me to investigate alternative whitening brands because BriteSmile officially ended production after a company takeover alongside the EU restrictions in 2014. We contacted the company to see their recommendations for a follow-up brand comparable to BriteSmile and they sent us a brochure about a product by PrevDent that not only follows EU regulations but also remineralizes the tooth through nana-Hydroxyapatite particles. This chemical basically mimics our own naturally produced Hydroxyapatite, the mineral that “forms dentine (65%) and enamel (97%)” (link). Although the results only show a whole day after treatment, PrevDent is supposedly just as effective but healthier for enamel by combating the whitening problems of porosity and sensitivity through this remineralization. In fact, relative to BriteSmile, the new product can maintain smaller intervals between treatments since there is low risk of deteriorating the actual teeth!

Enjoying Carnaval with Padres

Granted, my source is the PrevDent brand itself. But the product has dramatically less hydrogen peroxide than its BriteSmile counterpart. And that’s a good start

To a world with less bleach.