MONDAY, Aug. 9, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- New research appears to raise questions about a possible link between tooth whiteners and oral cancer.
Researchers at Georgetown University conducted two case studies and a retrospective study of fewer than 20 people with oral cancer and concluded that people who use tooth whiteners were more likely to get metastatic lymph nodes.
The results did not establish any conclusive link between tooth whiteners and oral cancer but did raise some intriguing possibilities, according to the researchers.
They noted that while carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide generated in the tooth whitening process are not proven carcinogens, they cause local inflammation and mucosal trauma at high concentrations.
The complex interactions of this inflammatory response, combined with other factors, have an unpredictable effect on tissues, according to the researchers.
The research is to be presented at the International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer, which runs from Aug. 7 to 11 in Washington, D.C.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more about oral cancer.
