Does Non-Peroxide Teeth Whitening Work? Types, Safety and Reviews

Are you looking for non-peroxide teeth whitening solutions? There are tons of ways to whiten your teeth, but if you don’t like the idea of using peroxides, what options are left and do they even work? 

This article will discuss whether or not peroxide-free teeth whitening treatments work, and answer the following questions and topics:

• Do peroxide-free teeth whitening treatments work?
• Is non-peroxide teeth whitening safe?
• What are the different treatment options?
• What are the best non-peroxide teeth whitening strips, kits and gels? 
• Non-peroxide teeth whitening reviews

The following table is a summary of our top picks for whitening teeth without peroxide, but you can read on to learn more about each of these:

Let’s get started with finding out whether non-peroxide teeth whitening works before we move on to the different types available. 

Do peroxide-free teeth whitening treatments work?

There are quite a few non-peroxide teeth whitening products available on the market, and some work better than others. It really depends on the type of whitening product and the whitening ingredient. 

Peroxide-free whitening products like toothpaste and mouthwash are less likely to show huge differences in the colour of your teeth, whereas whitening pens, strips and kits are more likely to noticeably whiten your teeth.

Some of the most common whitening ingredients that peroxide-free whitening products use include:

• Sodium bicarbonate
• Charcoal 
• Papain and Bromelain extracts
• Phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid (PAP)
• Coconut oil 

Each of these ingredients has been proven to remove stains and whiten teeth to some extent, although most aren’t as effective as hydrogen peroxide. 

PAP, on the other hand, has been proven to be just as effective as hydrogen peroxide, but without harming tooth enamel and gum tissues as peroxides can. 

How does teeth whitening work? 

Discolouration and staining are due to pigmented food and drink attaching to the organic matter of your teeth. To whiten and rid them of stains, there are two different methods, physical and chemical.

Physical removal of stains involves using something abrasive on the surface of your teeth, and chemical bleaching can remove stains both on the surface of your teeth and those that are embedded a little deeper. So chemical whitening and removal of stains is a much more effective method than just the physical removal of stains. 

Chemical whitening and the removal of stains involves the oxidisation of stains and alteration of the molecules that hold colour. Basically, the bleaching agent enters through the enamel and breaks down these molecules. Smaller molecules are lighter in colour, so this results in the overall tooth looking whiter. The common chemicals used to do this include:

• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Carbamide Peroxide
• Phthalimidoperoxycaproic Acid (PAP) 

All of these chemicals remove stains and lighten teeth through oxidisation, however only the peroxides release free radicals as they do this. Free radicals can cause side effects such as tooth sensitivity, gum irritation and the demineralisation of tooth enamel. 

PAP teeth whitening does not release free radicals, and is, therefore, safer for your tooth enamel and gum tissues! 

Is non-peroxide teeth whitening safe?

Peroxide-free whitening treatments like PAP are safer than those that use peroxides because they don’t release free radicals that can cause damage to your tooth enamel and gums. 

Dentists tend to use mostly peroxide teeth whitening treatments in-office because the professional application can help to minimise damage. However, peroxides can cause teeth sensitivity after whitening and become unsafe and have unpleasant side effects when used in at-home whitening treatments. 

Peroxide-free whitening treatments are safer than those that use peroxides because they don’t release free radicals that can cause damage. 

PAP has not been explored by dentists as much as peroxide-based treatments. This could be because it is relatively new to the market and there is less research on it compared to peroxides. It also has a higher pH which means it has a shorter shelf life. 

Best non-peroxide teeth whitening treatments

Not many dentists use non-peroxide whitening products yet. However, there are plenty of at-home peroxide-free whitening treatments available on the market, including: 

• Whitening strips
• Pens 
• Gels
• Whitening kits 

Here are our recommended non-peroxide whitening treatments:

Peroxide-free teeth whitening kits

Teeth whitening kits are the most popular at-home solution because they are affordable, convenient, and effective. In a kit, you generally get a mouthpiece and LED light, as well as enough whitening gel to last you for two or more treatments.

Our top-recommended peroxide-free teeth whitening kit is Smile Avenue’s whitening kit. You can also read our in-depth guide on whitening kits which includes kits with peroxide whitening gels.  

Smile Avenue's teeth whitening kit

This teeth whitening kit is non-peroxide and made in the US. The whitening gel is a gentle formula with the active ingredient PAP, and contains the ingredient hydroxyapatite which helps to remineralise teeth as you whiten them.

Smile Avenue's Whitening Kit includes the following items:

• LED light and attachable mouthpiece
• 4 whitening gel pens
• Adaptors to fit USB, USB Type-C and lightning (iPhone) sockets 
• A shade guide
• Instructions

To use this whitening kit, all you have to do is paint the whitening gel onto your teeth, plug the LED mouthpiece into your phone or laptop and then insert it into your mouth. The treatment lasts about 16 minutes, and when you’re done the LED light will automatically turn off. 

Painting the whitening gel directly onto your teeth ensures that you get full coverage and avoids getting any on your gums. 

If you want a more in-depth review of Smile Avenues Whitening Kit, you can read our full review here.

Non-peroxide teeth whitening strips

Our top recommended non-peroxide teeth whitening strips are Hismile’s PAP+ whitening strips, but there are other products on the market that use natural whitening ingredients instead of chemical whitening. However, these products may not be as effective as PAP whitening. 

Hismile’s PAP+ Whitening Strips 

These non-peroxide whitening strips are based on Hismile’s PAP+ whitening formula. They don’t cause any gum irritation or sensitivity that you find with other brands like Crest that use peroxide-based whitening gel in their strips. 

As they have the same ingredients as the whitening kit, Nano-hydroxyapatite and Potassium Citrate, they remineralise and desensitise your teeth as they whiten. 

To use these strips, all you have to do is dry your teeth and apply the long strip to your top teeth and the shorter strip to your bottom teeth. Leave the strips on for 30 minutes and then remove and rinse your mouth with water. 

These are different from Hismile's whitening kit because they are not used with the LED light which makes the gel more effective. They are for clean and convenient on the go whitening, wherever you may want to use them.

Pro Teeth Whitening Co Charcoal Whitening Strips

For a more natural approach to teeth whitening without peroxide, you could try these whitening strips. The active whitening ingredient in these strips is charcoal, and they also utilise other whitening ingredients including coconut oil and cellulose gum. 

While many people claim to see results using charcoal-based whitening treatments, there is very little scientific evidence to back these claims up. In fact, this study found that charcoal has no bleaching abilities at all, but can absorb surface stains. 

If you are looking for a 100% natural, peroxide-free whitening treatment then these may be for you. They are simple to use, like other brands of whitening strips, just dry your teeth and apply the strips for 30 minutes. Then remember to rinse off all the black from your teeth after use!  

What do non-peroxide teeth whitening reviews have to say? 

The following reviews are both of the Hismile PAP+ Whitening Kit, which has now been discontinued, but is the closest product to Smile Avenue's whitening kit. Unfortunately, there were not many Smile Avenue reviews to be found, but if you are interested in reading reviews of the Smile Avenue whitening kit, you can head to their website to see their full collection of reviews. 

The first review is from a YouTuber called Aishah who shares her Hismile review on her channel, Aishscream. She starts by saying that the video isn’t sponsored and it is her ‘brutally honest’ opinion on the product. 

Aishah found that the Hismile teeth whitening kit helped to not only whiten her teeth but also removed stains that had been there for years. She shows her teeth before and after treatment and you can see a noticeable difference in colour. 

Aishah also comments on how strong her teeth feel after using this product. 

Make sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more each week!xoxo Where to find me: Instagram: @aishscream https://www.instagram.com/aishscream/?hl=en TikTok: @aishscream www.tiktok.com/@aishscream Twitter: @aishaishbabey https://twitter.com/aishaishbabey?lang=en Disclaimer: These products were gifted however this video is not sponsored, these are all my own honest opinions and recommendations! Please make sure to test any products the recommended amount of time the brand advises before use.

The next review is another YouTuber called Hannah Dorman. She reviews the Hismile PAP+ whitening kit and gives her honest review. Hannah begins her review by explaining the whitening kit, as well as some of Hismiles other whitening products. While Hismile no longer stocks their whitening kit , they continue to stock a range of whitening products with PAP as the active ingredient. 

Overall Hannah is really pleased with the results and feels like her teeth are much whiter and brighter after using it. She also says that she is going to continue using the product to see just how white her teeth get. 

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Conclusion

There are a lot of different options for whitening your teeth available, and if you aren’t keen on using ones with peroxide as the main active whitening ingredient, there are non-peroxide treatments available. 

While hydrogen peroxide is used widely by dentists and has been proven to whiten teeth, it can, in some cases, cause tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. If used incorrectly, it can cause enamel damage, which is irreversible. 

Non-peroxide whitening treatments use a range of different ingredients, but the best non-peroxide teeth whitening gel seems to have PAP as the active ingredient. 

There is not a huge amount of research behind PAP, which is why dentists still widely use peroxide-based products. However, it has been proved to be effective in whitening teeth without causing the damage that peroxide can do to the teeth and gums.  

Smile Avenue uses PAP as the active ingredient in their whitening kits. They also include the ingredient hydroxyapatite which remineralises teeth. Hismile sells a range of whitening products with PAP as the active ingredient, including their whitening strips which are peroxide-free.