Question:
Recently, there are talk about using hydrogen peroxide on your
teeth and gums.
I would be interested to know what hydrogen peroxide can do for your teeth
and/ or gums and how safe it is?
Answer:
We used 49% hydrogen peroxide where I formerly worked, and when they cleaned
up spills with mops, sometimes they'd forget to rinse out the mop. They'd
set it aside, and shortly afterward it would burst into flames all by
itself. Same thing would happen if it leaked on a wood pallat . . . If
spilled on your skin, it would produce nasty burns . . . So, you don't want
that . . .
I use peroxide quite often as a mouth rinse. (The ratio instructions are on
the bottle. It's around 1:4 with water.)
Peroxide "boils out" bacteria. Our mouths naturally have a lot of good
bacteria, so I wouldn't recommend using it after every brushing, but I would
recommend 2-3x/week.
Does it get the teeth whiter? I haven't noticed THAT, but... I have noticed
that my gums seem stronger because the bad bacteria that leads to gingivitis
and bleeding is getting boiled out. (I WAS starting to have some problems with
that.) AND, when I get a piece of something stuck behind a back molar, I've
noticed putting full strength peroxide on a cotton ball and then biting down
will also boil out that piece of something.
But, whatever you do, DO NOT SWALLOW PEROXIDE, EVEN IF WEAKENED WITH WATER.
Rinse and spit no less than 3x.
Unlike alcohol, I think peroxide only comes in one grade. I just pick up
whatever they're selling on sale down at the store.
First, the directions for using peroxide are on the bottle.
Second, asking folks about their experiences with using peroxide as a mouth
rinse is totally in keeping with this newsgroup.
And, third, the fact that you get a whole lot more mouth rinse out of one small
bottle of peroxide than you do Listerine, and at a fraction of the price
(roughly 50c to 3.99) is ALSO totally in keeping with this newsgroup.
Further, Listerine really can only be used for mouthwash, whereas peroxide is
also a first aid treatment, an agent to remove blood from clothing, AND it
takes up less space in the cabinet.
AND, it also makes a great cleanser. I have two spray bottles filled with it --
one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen. In the shower, I spray it around after
I'm done and I never have a mildew problem; (I'm a clean freak about my toilet,
and I also use it there). In the kitchen, I spray the counter surfaces, the
plastic cutting boards, and my sponges with it....
