Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2025

Confocal Time Lapse Imaging as an Efficient Method for the Cytocompatibility Evaluation of Dental Composites
Published on: November 9, 2014
Presence of heavy metals in over the counter teeth whitening products- An evaluative study
Chitra Ravi1, Sendhilkumar Muthappan2, Manickam Ponnaiah2
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tagore Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Background:
Dentistry plays a crucial role in shaping the facial aesthetics of a person and thus boosts self-esteem. Tooth discolouration is one of the significant cosmetic problems and hence, many teeth whitening products are widely used for discolouration. However, these products may have heavy metals or chemicals that can affect the tooth and other organs.
Aim:
The aim is to estimate the amount of heavy metals present in teeth whitening products available for purchase over-the-counter in the pharmacies.
Materials And Method:
A cross-sectional study of teeth whitening products available Over the Counter (OTC) in pharmacies in Chennai and adjoining districts of Tamil Nadu was conducted during the period from December 2019 to February 2020. The Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS) method was used to measure the heavy metals such as inorganic lead, chromium, cobalt, arsenic, cadmium, nickel and mercury in the products.
Results:
We collected 39 products and finalized nine for analysis. These products were available as tablet (n = 1), liquids (n = 2) and powders (n = 6). All products were mentioned as herbal or natural. Three products contained inorganic lead levels in parts per million (ppm) of 759 (product 2); 39.4 (product 3) and 28.1 (product 7), way above the permitted levels. None of the other heavy metals were detected from these products.
Conclusion:
After analysis with the FAAS method, inorganic lead over and above the permissible levels was observed. Dental professionals and community need to be aware of the availability of such products and its detrimental effects on oral and general health.
More Related Videos
09:23Removal of Trace Elements by Cupric Oxide Nanoparticles from Uranium In Situ Recovery Bleed Water and Its Effect on Cell Viability
Published on: June 21, 2015
10:20Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae
Published on: July 10, 2015
Related Concept Videos
The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements
Periodic Table Provides Information...
Masking and Demasking Agents
There are many masking agents, such as cyanide, fluoride, triethanolamine, thiourea, and 2,3-bis(sulfanyl)propan-1-ol (formerly 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol), with the masking agent chosen based on...
Minerals
Major...
Effects of EDTA on End-Point Detection Methods
In the visual method, metal-ion indicators (metallochromic dyes), which have distinct colors in their free and complex forms, are added to the mixture to signal the titration's end point. They form stable complexes with metal ions, but these complexes are weaker than the corresponding metal–EDTA complexes. As a...
Voltammetry: Stripping Methods
Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV)
ASV is used to determine metals and metalloids at trace levels. It involves two steps: deposition and stripping. First, a negative potential is applied to the...
Qualitative Analysis
For instance, group IV...