Molecular mechanisms of the bleaching actions associated with commercially-available whitening oral health care products

Abstract

An increased public awareness in dental aesthetics has resulted in the wide availability of techniques of tooth bleaching, both in the dental chair and at home. This article reviews the aetiology of tooth discolouration both at the clinical and the molecular level, together with methods of alleviating such discolouration. Much of the therapeutic and aesthetic actions of commercially-available tooth whiteners, gels, oral rinses and other dentifrices are predominantly dependent on their ability to act as oxidants. A novel method of evaluating these aspects of dentifrice activity is also described: high resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a virtually non-invasive, multi component bioanalytical technique that can be employed to study oxidation/reduction reactions at the molecular level and is utilised here to investigate the mechanisms of action of a newly developed dentifrice (Ultrawhite Opal, Janina International). Such methodology also offers much potential for studies concerning the numerous chemical reactions occurring within the oral environment.