Overall Safety of Peroxides

Abstract

Current tooth whiteners contain peroxides as active ingredients, which release hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the process of application. The primary source of safety concerns with the peroxide-based tooth whiteners is the capability of H2O2 to produce oxidative free radicals or reactive oxygen species (ROS), which have been associated with various pathological consequences including carcinogenesis and degenerative diseases. This chapter will review and discuss the toxicology of H2O2, its presence in the human body, and its potential systemic effects, genotoxicity, and carcinogenicity on the basis of evidence available in the literature.