According to a lengthy Facebook post, hydrogen peroxide is the Swiss Army Knife of home health care and cleanup, capable of serving as a daily mouthwash, foot fungus killer, instant disinfectant, and much more. It includes 14 recommended uses in total.
“This is what my friend who is married to a doctor told me,” reads an Aug. 2, 2019, post. “I’d like to tell you about the advantages of that plain little ole bottle of 3 percent peroxide that you can get for less than $1.00 at any drugstore.”
The post, which has been widely shared in recent weeks, has received over 26,000 likes and over 280,000 shares since it was published. “I know and use it all the time for practically everything, including my bathwater,” one commenter said.
However, experts advise readers not to take all of the advice in the post at once. Some of the suggested uses are potentially harmful, while others exaggerate the substance’s effectiveness.
According to Ada Cooper, an American Dental Association spokesperson and consumer adviser, 3 percent hydrogen peroxide is commonly sold in pharmacies and drugstores and may be irritating to soft tissues in the mouth.
“Take one capful of hydrogen peroxide… and hold it in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out,” the post instructs. Cooper, a private practicing dentist, believes it should not be kept in the mouth for that long. She advised using a diluted formula when rinsing to remove surface stains rather than changing the color of the teeth. The hydrogen peroxide concentration should be 1.5 percent -2 percent for this.
The post also claims that the rinsing will prevent canker sores, but Cooper says there is no evidence to support that claim.
Do not soak your toothbrushes in a cup of hydrogen peroxide, as suggested in the post.
“There is no evidence that it helps, but soaking it may damage the toothbrush,” Cooper said.
Individuals who wish to continue using it should rinse the toothbrush thoroughly, but not for an extended period of time. According to the Harding Medical Institute, pouring hydrogen peroxide over your toothbrush as a quick disinfectant and then rinsing with water is a good idea.
Athlete’s foot is a skin condition caused by a fungus.
“I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them every night and let dry,” the post claims.
However, this is not the best approach. According to a 2013 study, hydrogen peroxide combined with iodine kills 16 different fungi. According to the study, using the two together is more effective than using them separately. So, instead of mixing hydrogen peroxide with water, as suggested in the post, combine it with iodine solution. Dip the feet directly into the solution or apply it to the affected areas with a cotton pad.
According to the post, hydrogen peroxide can also be used to treat toothaches.
“Take a capful of 3 percent peroxide and hold it in your mouth for 10 minutes several times a day.
The discomfort will be greatly reduced “reads the blog post
As previously stated, keeping the peroxide in the mouth for an extended period of time can cause tissue damage.
Cooper, on the other hand, claims that the advice in the post reduces the need for dental care, which most toothaches necessitate.
Cooper suggested combining ibuprofen with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as acetaminophen, for temporary pain relief. According to WebMD, hydrogen peroxide can help bleach or color hair, but high concentrations can burn your scalp and skin. Make sure to follow the product’s usage and safety instructions.
The final suggestion in the post is to clean the bathroom with hydrogen peroxide.
“Simply fill a spray bottle with peroxide (and) spray. All of the odors and bacteria will be gone in the blink of an eye!”
No, not exactly.
According to the Harding Medical Institute, mix one part 3 percent hydrogen peroxide with two parts water. Then, pour it into a spray bottle and spray the affected area, but wait an hour or so before rinsing. The effect does not occur as quickly as the post claims.
