# Will my teeth disintegrate?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-teeth-disintegrate/109158 "2002-05-15T05:21:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anenquiringmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anenquiringmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anenquiringmind)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-teeth-disintegrate/109158/1 "2002-05-15T05:21:03Z")
Hoping some of the chemical peroxide experts can help me out here, there certainly seems to be a lot of them on this board… I use peroxide to rinse my mouth after brushing. Since it bleaches things and apparently highly concentrated peroxide is used to whiten teeth in those drive thru teeth whitening offices… I have recently started…\>\>\>\> \>\>\>keeping it in my mouth for 3-4 minutes in hope that it might whiten my teeth (actually the foaming at the mouth is quite fun) Am I wasting my time or ruining my teeth? ---
**Author:** ![DPWhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-teeth-disintegrate/109158/2 "2002-05-15T05:41:54Z")
Avoid straight peroxide. You will find various mouthwashes with peroxide as a diluted ingrediant. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-my-teeth-disintegrate/109158/3 "2002-05-15T05:47:02Z")
Straight peroxide is… rocket fuel. Serious, it’s a self oxidizing fuel that’s activated by contact with platinum IIRC. Even hair bleaching peroxide is diluted but too dangerous to put in your mouth, Drugstore topical H2O2 is 3%