Let’s be honest, we live in an era of perfection. Perfect hair, perfect nails, perfect teeth, perfect everything! Nowadays, it seems like almost all the celebrities, and influencers, have some type of work done on their teeth, and it looks great! Makes you want to try it out for yourself. However, these options might not be affordable or available to everyone. I know I wouldn’t be able to get those treatments for myself. So, I have settled for teeth whitening products used at home. Because yes, I too want pearly white teeth!
Now, does it matter if I am pregnant or breastfeeding? Which ones are okay to use, the strips, the toothpastes, and/or the blue light therapy? So many options to choose from, right? Before we talk about each of those ingredients, it’s important to point out that every pregnancy starts out with a small chance (3-5%) of having a baby with a birth defect, we call this the background risk. Now that we have defined the background risk, when we talk about any possible increased risk for birth defects, we refer to the increased risk above that background risk. Now, let’s break it down and take a look at some of these products and their ingredients.
Whitening strips
Most teeth whitening products contain:
Carbamide Peroxide this ingredient breaks down as urea and hydrogen peroxide when in contact with organic compounds in living tissues.
Urea is a chemical formed from protein breakdown, and is often used in lotions to improve hydration. Therefore, is it not expected to increase the chance of birth defects or get into the breastmilk in amounts that would be of concern for the breastfed baby.
Hydrogen Peroxide is added to cosmetics and personal care products as an antimicrobial ingredient to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. It is also used as an oxidizing ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products to oxygenate stains on the teeth to whiten them. When in contact with your teeth, hydrogen peroxide will break down as a molecule of water and oxygen gas. There are no known increased risks when using this product as directed during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
You may also find:
Sodium Hydroxide which is not expected to increase the risk above the background risk nor it is expected to pass into the breastmilk in amounts that would be of concern for the baby.
Glycerin is colorless, odorless, and a sweet glycerol (sugar alcohol), used as a lubrication agent in multiple cosmetic products such as toothpaste, shaving cream, and soaps. Glycerin also provides smoothness and has not shown to be harmful for the developing baby during the pregnancy and is not expected to get into the breastmilk either.
Menthol is widely used in a variety of products, in the cosmetic world as a flavoring and fragrance agent. When used topically or ingested, menthol does not increase the chance of a birth defect about the background risk. Topical use of menthol is not expected to pass into the breastmilk in amounts that would be of concern for the breastfeed baby. We have a Blog on other skin products.
Carbomer has not been studied during breastfeeding, but it is not expected to get into the breastmilk in amounts that would be of concern for the baby. It is also not expected to increase the risk of having a baby with a birth defect or cause other pregnancy problems.
Whitening toothpastes
Majority of these toothpastes contain:
Sodium Monofluorophosphate (MFP), a sodium salt commonly used to increase the amount of fluoride incorporated into the enamel which can help prevent cavities. MFP has not been studied widely during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Sodium fluoride is a colorless or white powder, found as a dissolved in a liquid since it is a water-soluble compound. Sodium fluoride is mostly used for prevention of dental cavities, to polish the teeth, and reduce oral odor. These ingredients have not been studied widely during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Both of these products are not expected to increase the risk of having a baby with a birth defect nor are they expected to get into the breastmilk in amounts that would be of concern for the baby.
Blue (LED) Light Therapy
This therapy is often used to treat acne and sun damage. It is important to point out that the therapy will only work in areas where the light reaches, and it usually needs a combination of photosynthesizing drugs to activate the ingredients. There is limited research on the use of blue light therapy during pregnancy or breastfeeding and the risk of birth defects or other pregnancy problems are unknown. Its use is not expected to increase the risk of birth defects since it’s only effective on the teeth and not expected to get into the bloodstream or cross the placenta. Similarly, it is not expected to get into the breastmilk in amounts that would be of concern for the breastfed infant.
Other ingredients commonly used:
Herbals, these ingredients are not regulated by the FDA as medications. Therefore, we are never sure what is in the product, and there is not enough information to say it is safe to use on a regular basis during the pregnancy or while breastfeeding. We have a fact sheet on herbals and supplements if you would like to learn more about their use in pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
Alcohol, it has been established that there is no okay amount, no okay time, and no okay type of alcohol during pregnancy. Nonetheless, using these products is not expected to get absorbed in your bloodstream or pass into the breastmilk since the use of these products is topical. Needless to say, don’t swallow or drink any of these products and use as directed on the package. To read more about alcohol during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, please refer to our Fact Sheet.
There are, of course, a variety of different products on the market such as gels with LED lights, and the pencils and a professional teeth whitening procedure made by a professional hygienist/ dentist. However, most of these products tend to have the same list of ingredients. For this reason, we only discussed the whitening strips, the toothpaste, and the Blue (LED) Light Therapy. If you are interested in learning more about other products and their individual ingredients, make sure to contact the experts at MotherToBaby.
And remember, it is important to feel good in your own skin but, if you are leaning towards getting your teeth whitened, here are some tips to think about before buying any product.
- Look for non-alcohol based products.
- Use the product as directed, do not swallow it, and do not exceed the time listed on the package.
- Contact the experts at MotherToBaby.org with your questions.
