Is Brushing Teeth with Oxiclean Safe and Effective?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ShawnD
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Teeth
AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around the safety and effectiveness of using Oxiclean, which contains sodium percarbonate, as a teeth whitening agent. Sodium percarbonate breaks down in water to release oxygen, potentially acting as an oxidizer that could kill bacteria and neutralize acids that cause tooth decay. However, concerns are raised about its potential to damage tooth enamel, similar to hydrogen peroxide, which can loosen gums and allow bacteria to penetrate. Participants debate the chemical properties of sodium percarbonate and its components, including the presence of TAED, and question the wisdom of using a cleaning product for dental hygiene. One user shares a personal experiment with brushing teeth using Oxiclean, reporting whiter teeth but also some bleeding, raising further questions about long-term safety and health risks. Overall, the consensus leans towards caution, emphasizing that using Oxiclean for dental care is not advisable due to potential harmful effects.
ShawnD
Science Advisor
Messages
715
Reaction score
2
I have a lot of time on my hands so I started reading the ingredients on all the detergents and cleaners that I have. Oxiclean is made of sodium carbonate and sodium percarbonate (Na2CO3 and Na2CO3*H2O2). I did some online reading about this percarbonate stuff and it turns out that it breaks down into carbonate and oxygen when it's in water. That sounded familiar so I checked my reduction table and found this reaction

O_2 + 2H_2O + 4e^- \rightarrow 4OH^- +0.40 volts

Oxygen in water makes a fairly strong oxidizer which can probably kill most bacteria. Another thing is that teeth rot away due to acids created by bacteria. After the oyxgen and water reduce, it forms OH which can neutralize any acids present.
The oxygen and water would also partially destroy the teeth though.
Sites that sell sodium percarbonate for industrial use claim to have between 20%-30% H2O2 in the dry powder.


Knowing all this information, would it be a good idea or a bad idea to try brushing my teeth with oxiclean?
 
Last edited:
Chemistry news on Phys.org
might it not also eat away the enamel of the teeth?
 
Yes I did mention that.

I'm thinking that it would not eat away too much of the teeth in comparisson to the bacteria. Brushing only lasts like maybe 45 seconds. The bacteria making acids are there all day...
 
The same precautions as excessive use of H2O2 might apply. People who whiten teeth with peroxide have to be careful. It doesn't damage the teeth, but it causes the gums to loosen, allowing future bacteria to get beneath.

Njorl
 
These are all good point on this. This kinda idea reminds me of phenol in mouthwash. Phenol is bad for humans in a concentrated form. However in mouthwash it's in such a diluted state that it isn't a health risk. I would assume the same applies here. However I don't know how much is really enough.
 
I should point out that these values for oxidation/reduction are for 1 M solutions. Most are anyway.

So it might not be as strong an oxideizer as you think it is, in this product anyway.
I don't klnow. I'm drunk, and making so many spelting mistakes...I've pressed backspace like 50 times since I've written this mnesage tabernac.
 
It will most likely not be a good idea; for the same reason peroxide doesn't make an effective antiseptic. AFAIK, peroxide is an oxidant and because of that it will only be effective against gram negative anerobic bacteria. The same will apply for oxiclean.
 
Last edited:
And who knows what other stuff they put into oxiclean.. if it really worked.. don't you think they would've suggested it in their advertising?

Make your sneakers look new with Oxiclean.. get the red wine stains out of your carpet.. the grass stains out of the soccer shirt of your kid.. as a bonus you now get a 1 gallon bucket with 4 toothbrush's for your family's dental hygiene..
 
It's probably not mentioned for safety reasons.

20%-30% hydrogen peroxide in crystal form is pretty powerful. A very concentrated solution of oxiclean could probably cause a lot of damage.

Rolaids (antacid pills) contain 550mg of calcium hydroxide per pill and that's enough to neutralize excess acid in your stomach. Think of what would happen if you swallowed 10g of CO3 and OH. That can't be good for you.
 
Last edited:
  • #10
Incidentally,

The Germans in WW II used concentrated (70%?) aqueous hydrogen peroxide in the V-2. They used nitrogen pressue to run it through a catalyst bed which decomposed it into hot steam and oxygen, which then drove the propellant pump.
 
  • #11
What do you mean by H2O2 in crystal form? I have 30% H2O2, it's not a crystal. It's a liquid, and I suppose I could solidify it by decreasing the temperature but...

And what is this, CO3 and OH, 10 grams? Ca(OH)2? What?
 
  • #12
thunderfvck said:
What do you mean by H2O2 in crystal form? I have 30% H2O2, it's not a crystal. It's a liquid, and I suppose I could solidify it by decreasing the temperature but...

And what is this, CO3 and OH, 10 grams? Ca(OH)2? What?

I don't exactly know how H2O2 is in a crystal, I just know it is. Have a look at the MSDS
http://www.google.ca/search?q=cache:oM8_d39lXkcJ:www.solvaychemicals.us/pdf/PCS-1103.pdf+percarbonate+msds&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
The chemical formula for sodium percarbonate is listed as Na2CO3 * 3H2O2.
It's not just 1 site saying that is the formula, that is what all sites say it is.

CO3 is in the parcarbonate. OH is created when O2 and H2O reduce. Ca(OH)2 is what antacid pills are made of.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #13
ShawnD said:
I don't exactly know how H2O2 is in a crystal, I just know it is. Have a look at the MSDS
http://www.google.ca/search?q=cache:oM8_d39lXkcJ:www.solvaychemicals.us/pdf/PCS-1103.pdf+percarbonate+msds&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
The chemical formula for sodium percarbonate is listed as Na2CO3 * 3H2O2.
It's not just 1 site saying that is the formula, that is what all sites say it is.
That doesn't make it a crystal.. just a mixture of two compounds..
btw.. the MSDS is not for sodium percarbonate.. it's the MSDS for Sodium Carbonate Peroxyhydrate :P
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #14
That's what percarbonate is. There are multiple names for all chemicals.

From the link
Synonyms:
PCS, Sodium Percarbonate, Sodium Carbonate Peroxide, FB 400
 
  • #15
Oh okay. It just seemed that you were reffering to H2O2 in crystal form. But now I see that you meant that it is part of the crystal.

And about my string of questions, with the CO3, OH, etc. I know what these are, but I don't see what makes this relevant? I'm missing something. You speak of rolaids and Ca(OH)2 and then go on to say how it would be bad to swallow OH and CO3, yes, I agree, but...?
 
  • #16
It's just a 'for instance' type thing, like if you accidentally swallowed some of the oxiclean. You generally should not be putting stuff in your mouth if you shouldn't be swallowing it. If you swallow normal toothpaste or mouthwash, it won't do anything bad. If you swallow a mouthfull of oxiclean, you might not be able to digest meat for a little while.
 
  • #17
its been upwards of 5 months since I've had to do any chemistry, can someone help me with the equation when you add it to water? specifically I want to know what gases are given off, and even more specifically, I am hoping for O2. if that's not given off, does anyone know of any other solid that reacts with H2O and produces oxygen (hopefully cheap). Thanks!
 
  • #18
2 KClO3 --heat--> 2 KCl + 3 O2

KClO3 (potassium perchlorate) can be found in stores. I'm not sure what it's used for but a few searches would yield that information.

2 Na2O2 + 2 H2O -----> 2 NaOH + O2

Sodium peroxide. I don't know if you can find this in stores or not...Just add water and collect the gas!

2 H2O2 ----> 2 H2O + O2

Hydrogen peroxide! Decomposes into oxygen and water. Probably won't be a very efficient way of obtaining O2 though since most OTC H2O2 is 3%.

I think KClO3 would be your best bet.
 
  • #19
You can thank my bacteria Streptococcus mutans for the tooth decay ;)
 
  • #20
Doesn't Oxiclean contain a chemical called TAED (tetra acetyl ethylene diamine)? Would you want to put that in your mouth?
 
  • #21
silly_donkey said:
Doesn't Oxiclean contain a chemical called TAED (tetra acetyl ethylene diamine)? Would you want to put that in your mouth?

Maybe not, but will i want to put this stuff in my washer?

Can oxiclean be used to kill the excess bacteria found in washers? -

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/22/earlyshow/contributors/susankoeppen/main5409778.shtml

Thanks for the help guys / gals
 
  • #22
silly_donkey said:
Would you want to put that in your mouth?

What about (3β,5Z,7E)-9,10-secocholesta-5,7,10(19)-trien-3-ol, judging from the name it must be even worse.
 
  • #23
notrandom said:
Maybe not, but will i want to put this stuff in my washer?

That is exactly where it goes as a detergent builder. It also has http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ethylenediaminetetraacetic-acid-000302.htm"

The http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodIngredientsPackaging/FoodAdditives/FoodAdditiveListings/ucm091048.htm"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #24
Well, I've heard enough! I'm goin' for it! I will either wind up with a mouth full of bleeding gums or a bunch of sparkling pearly whites! I'll let you know how it turns out.
 
  • #25
I just did it!
It tasted very salty ( I was careful not to swallow any or get any on my tongue.)

I gently brushed my teeth up to the gumline for about 45". I noticed a tiny amount of bleeding beginning along my two front teeth at the gum line. I then, quickly began to rinse the solution out of my mouth with cool tap water.

The final results: No enduring pain. My teeth are about 3 shades whiter. I am pleased with the results...

Now let's just wait after a few more trials and tests to see if I come down with leukemia or something.

BUT, my teeth are getting whiter!
;)
 
  • #26
You are serious, or just trolling?
 

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top