Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash

Hydrogen peroxide, known widely as a bleaching agent, is a highly reactive, pale blue colored liquid with the chemical formula H₂O₂. It is also the natural by-product that is produced during oxygen metabolism within the body of almost all living organisms. Due to its strong oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide has found wide range of applications in the industrial and medical sectors. Hydrogen peroxide mouthwash is such a product, that is widely used for maintaining dental and oral hygiene. But, before going into the details, let's take a brief look at some of its most important uses.

Hydrogen Peroxide Uses

Hydrogen peroxide is a common household product with numerous uses. It is an excellent disinfectant and antiseptic that can be used for skin infections, including minor cuts and wounds. It can rid the infected skin of germs and microorganisms. Hydrogen peroxide can be used to cure cold sores, insect bites and pimples as well. It is also a popular product used for teeth whitening and as a mouthwash. In the industrial sector, hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent that can be used as a substitute for chlorine-based substances. Sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate are the two most widely used bleaches in laundries, and both of them are manufactured from hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is also used to remove odor, especially in the industries for metal oxidation and corrosion, and to sterilize surgical and medical equipment.

Hydrogen Peroxide as Mouthwash

When used as a mouthwash, hydrogen peroxide can kill the germs and bacteria inside the mouth to eliminate problems like bad breath and gingivitis. Hydrogen peroxide mouthwash is excellent for destroying the germs and bacteria that cause plaque and caries. Hence, gargling with hydrogen peroxide can effectively reduce the incidence of common dental and gum diseases, trench mouth, and mouth sores and ulcers. Along with killing harmful bacteria and microorganisms, hydrogen peroxide can also bleach or whiten the teeth, due to its strong bleaching properties. So, you can use hydrogen peroxide for mouthwash to not only enhance oral hygiene, but whiten your teeth as well.

Hydrogen peroxide can be used directly as a mouthwash, or you can use a commercial mouthwash with hydrogen peroxide as an active ingredient. But getting a bottle of hydrogen peroxide from a medical store, and using it as a mouthwash is a much less expensive option than commercial mouthwash products. However, be sure to get a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to be used for health purposes. Apart from using as mouthwash, it can be mixed with baking soda to make a homemade toothpaste. To prepare hydrogen peroxide mouthwash, you can mix it with equal parts of water, though many believe that it can be used without diluting.

Is It Safe to Use Hydrogen Peroxide As Mouthwash?

Generally, a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution is considered safe to be used for health purposes. However, some people think that a 3% solution is too strong to be used inside the mouth, and that a 1% hydrogen peroxide solution would be more suitable to be used as a mouthwash. Thus, many suggest diluting hydrogen peroxide before using as a mouthwash. However, in general, a 1% to 3% hydrogen peroxide solution is considered safe to be used as a mouthwash, and for cleaning cuts and wounds. It is also important not to use a very large volume of hydrogen peroxide at one time, as it foams inside the mouth, expanding its volume.

As hydrogen peroxide can easily break down when exposed to sunlight, it usually comes in a brown bottle, which can filter out the sun's rays. Hydrogen peroxide is usually available in most of the medical stores as a 3% solution. However, it is recommended to check the label of the bottle before purchasing hydrogen peroxide to ensure that you are buying a 3% or less solution, marked for home use and not industrial use. This is because using concentrated or a high strength solution of hydrogen peroxide as mouthwash can be very dangerous. Again, though many think dilution is not required, it is advisable to dilute even the 3% solution of the product for use inside the mouth. After using hydrogen peroxide mouthwash, do not forget to flush your mouth properly with clean water. When used in the right amounts and the right strength, hydrogen peroxide can be effective in controlling and eliminating certain mouth problems, but care must be taken to follow the instructions, like diluting and flushing the mouth with water after use, to achieve positive results.