Are the non-active ingredients in a dental whitening gel important?
The answer is a resounding, yes they are! Most teeth whitening gels on the market contain glycerin which causes sensitivity to the teeth due to dehydration of the enamel and gum irritation due to the acidity of the product. Prima White's Carbamide Peroxide gel is water-based, has a balanced PH level and it is glycerin free.
Glycerin based gel is very thick and cannot easily penetrate the tooth pores where staining occurs. Why do companies use it to formulate dental whitening gels? Simple, it’s cuts manufacturing costs and it extends the shelf-life of their products. This is great for manufacturers but not so great for consumers.
Other ingredients that are widely used in dental whitening gels are Amines (TEA). Amines have been noted in recent studies as being potentially cancer causing. Since these are non-essential ingredients to dental whitening, it is best to avoid them.