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Hydrogen Peroxide Medical Uses
Hydrogen peroxide has traditionally been used to clean wounds, whiten teeth, and help remove built-up earwax. Hydrogen peroxide is also used in some medical settings as a mouthwash, mostly to loosen and remove dead, damaged, or otherwise diseased tissue. For this reason, using this substance as a mouthwash is just another way of using it as a wound cleanser.
However, using hydrogen peroxide for wound cleansing has recently fallen out of favor with the medical profession, since there is little evidence that it is effective. This substance also has the potential to damage healthy tissue, making other, safer options more attractive.
(Click Hydrogen Peroxide Uses to learn more about the medical uses of this product and why it isn't meant to be taken internally. This article also describes some of the controversial uses for this product, such as treating cancer.)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD