Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound that combines hydrogen with oxygen. You can buy it at most health stores and pharmacies and use it for everything from disinfecting wounds to cleaning your bath tub.
Some people even swear by gargling with it to sooth a sore throat, whiten teeth, and reduce gum inflammation. Keep reading to learn how to safely gargle hydrogen peroxide and brighten and whiten your teeth, and whether it really works.
How to gargle hydrogen peroxide
The key to safely gargling hydrogen peroxide is to make sure you have the right product.
Find oral hydrogen peroxide here.
Follow these steps for safe gargling:
- Start with your bottle Oxygenate a 3% concentration of hydrogen peroxide and colloidal silver. This is the strength you’ll find in a blue bottle at most health stores. Next, take a 30ml shot glass and fill it with warm water. Take the lid of the bottle of oxygenate and place around 8 to 10 drops of Oxygenate into the warm water and let it sit for a minute or two.
- Tilt your head back and take a small mouthful of your hydrogen peroxide and warm water mix. Gargle and swish the mixture around in your mouth for around 60 seconds.
- If you want to it is safe to Swallow or you can Spit the solution out after gargling.
Health benefits of gargling hydrogen peroxide
Soothe a sore throat
Sore throats are often caused by bacterial infections. Since hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria, gargling with hydrogen peroxide can help ease the discomfort of a sore throat by killing the bacteria in the mouth and the throat. Reducing the level of bacteria in the mouth and throat also allows the body to heal more quickly.
In addition, when the mucus in your mouth comes into contact with hydrogen peroxide, it creates a foam. This foam makes the mucus less sticky and easier to drain. It can also help to loosen the mucus in your throat, which can cause irritation and pain.
Prevention of gum disease
Dental plaque contains biofilm, a form of bacteria that is difficult to eliminate. The combination of plaque and bacteria is a major cause of gum disease. Since hydrogen peroxide is a powerful antibacterial agent, it is useful in destroying the bacteria contained in plaque.
In a 2017 randomized study to determine the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide in treating gum disease, a group of participants was divided into two groups: one group received debridement and hydrogen peroxide treatments, while the other group received only debridement. The results of the study demonstrated that the group that received hydrogen peroxide treatments had significantly less gum disease at the end of the study than the control group. Further, gargling with hydrogen peroxide can reach the back of the mouth and other difficult to reach places more easily than other treatments.
Improve oral health
Hydrogen peroxide is a powerful disinfectant that can help to keep canker sores and other small wounds in your mouth from becoming infected, which also helps them heal faster.
A 2012 review of studies about hydrogen peroxide and oral health found that it can also help to reduce gum inflammation when used in conjunction with regular brushing and flossing. To get the most out of hydrogen peroxide’s oral health benefits, make sure you swish it around the front of the mouth while you’re gargling so it reaches your front teeth and gums.
Whiten your teeth
Since hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent, it is useful for whitening teeth. In fact, many toothpastes and mouthwashes contain hydrogen peroxide for this very purpose. Numerous studies on teeth stained from tea and coffee demonstrated that gargling with hydrogen peroxide was able to significantly increase the whiteness of teeth.
Generally speaking, hydrogen peroxide is an extremely safe product to use — when used correctly. As mentioned above, concentrations stronger than 3% should never be used. And 3% concentrations need to be diluted before use. Hydrogen peroxide vapors can irritate the eyes and the lungs, so care should be taken when diluting it.
Are there any risks?
Ingesting undiluted hydrogen peroxide can burn your internal organs and cause internal bleeding. However, if you accidentally swallow some diluted hydrogen peroxide, such as the 3% solution widely available at health stores, you’ll likely only notice some mild stomach discomfort. You may also vomit a slightly foamy substance, which is normal.
After gargling hydrogen peroxide, you might notice some redness around your gums or irritation on the inside of your mouth. This should go away within a few hours of gargling. Call your natural healthcare professional or doctor immediately if the redness or irritation doesn’t go away, or if you start to throw up or feel dizzy and weak.
Conclusion
Gargling products like oxygenate may be a safer more effective way to sooth a sore throat, disinfect your mouth, and whiten your teeth. Just make sure you dilute it first. If you’re hoping to whiten your teeth, place the oxygenate directly onto your toothbrush and brush your teeth directly you will need to do this consistently for several months to get the best results.
