DR. HALL,
IS THIS OK? I MADE MY OWN MOUTH WASH: 8 OZ FILTERED AND BOILED WATER, 8 OZ OF 3% HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, 2 TBS SEA SALT.
I HAVE PORCELAIN VEENERS ON MY TEETH.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE…….
-Lorece from Illinois
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Lorece,
Well, at least you aren’t using a mouthwash with alcohol. That would soften the bonding agent used to bond the porcelain veneers which will cause ditching and staining around the edges.
But the mouthwash you are mixing up at home will cause other problems. The active ingredient in the formula you gave me is the hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide will kill a number of micro-organisms. Many of the bacteria that contribute to gum disease are what we call anaerobic—they thrive without the presence of oxygen and, in fact, oxygen will kill them. Hydrogen peroxide, when you rinse with it, bubbles and releases oxygen, killing these harmful bacteria. However, the peroxide will also kill many beneficial microbes that live in your mouth, which causes other oral micro-organisms to thrive because of the absence of competition. One of these micro-organisms is the yeast, candida albicans.
The result of all this is that occasional or short-term use of hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash can be very helpful. But if you use it steadily for a period of, say, two weeks, you will end up with an oral yeast infection because the candida albicans will grow without restraint. In an oral yeast infection, the mucosal surfaces in your mouth turn white and peel, leaving raw, red, and painful patches.
There are a number of alcohol-free mouthwashes that you could use to help you care for your porcelain veneers, if you want to use a mouthwash. Check the link for more information about that. But my advice is that if you brush and floss faithfully and correctly, any need for a mouthwash would be minimal at best.
– Dr. David Hall
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.
You didn’t answer the question. The question was will peroxide ruin porcelain veneers. Also , I have a bridge. if I use peroxide on my stained natural teeth will it affect my veneers and or bridge? – Jeannene
Jeannene,
I guess I wasn’t direct enough above. The peroxide mouthwash is okay only for short-term or intermittent use. Regular daily use will, after about two weeks, cause the overgrowth of oral yeast organisms, resulting in a yeast infection. With short-term use it will kill bacteria that cause gum inflammation. It won’t do anything that will hurt the porcelain veneers or your bridge or any other dental work.
– Dr. Hall