White teeth are widely sought after. Hollywood, advertising, and social media have made ultra-white teeth a must-have, and an obsession. People have long-used peroxide-based whiteners to try to get perfectly white teeth. However, these chemicals can damage the teeth and gums. Help is now near for those who have stained or off-white teeth. Researchers have tested a teeth-whitening ceramic powder. Researcher Min Xing said it is "a safe, at-home teeth-whitening strategy integrating whitening, enamel repair…for long-term oral health".

The researchers described how their powder works. It is activated by electric toothbrush vibrations, which create small electric fields over the teeth. These break down stain-causing molecules. The researchers said their laboratory trials were very promising. They tested human teeth that were discoloured with tea and coffee. After four hours of brushing, there was visible whitening. After 12 hours of cleaning, the teeth were 50 per cent whiter than those brushed normally. The researchers said the next step is to add the powder to toothpaste.