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When hearing the words chlorine dioxide you probably think of chlorine, a harsh chemical used in the backyard pool. The two are oxidizing agents but have little else in common. Chlorine dioxide is a friendly compound in common use today for the treatment of municipal water supplies, the disinfection of meat, seafood, fruit and surfaces, whitening teeth, eliminating odors, and experimentally to treat wounds and infections. Numerous studies have shown that chlorine dioxide, at appropriate concentrations, has no adverse health effects, either by skin contact or ingestion. It does not irritate or leave toxic residues, as does chlorine bleach, nor inhibit wound healing.
Interestingly, chlorine dioxide is a gas, and not easily incorporated into a topical product. Frontier Pharmaceutical has developed and patented a method of generating the gas and then utilizing its properties on an as-needed basis. This system is called DioxiCare®. By combining two component parts at the time of use, chlorine dioxide is released into a solution or a gel at a controlled concentration. The generation of chlorine dioxide is immediate, and the resulting product is highly suited for topical applications, such as our mouthwash product DioxiRinse™.
The DioxiCare® System separates Frontier's products from other chlorine dioxide preparations. Frontier's inventive 2-part system enables the user to produce the active ingredient on demand, and at an acidity that is suitable for use on the body. The activated product is immediately available for use. This is in contrast to other chlorine dioxide systems which require lower, more irritating acidity levels, and long reaction times to achieve usable concentrations. The DioxiCare System actually produces a chlorous acid/chlorine dioxide complex, which increases its efficacy. Based on this technology, Frontier possesses a comprehensive line of human and veterinary products for oral care, skin care and wound care.
Frontier's DioxiCare® products are supplied in convenient dual containers that dispense the two parts simultaneously, and in some cases mix the product at the same time. The two parts are stored in separate compartments until time of use. Frontier products have a shelf-life of at least two years.
Features of the DioxiCare® System
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The DioxiCare® System is an excellent odor remover. Chlorine dioxide eliminates or neutralizes odor by a process known as oxidation. It is not a masking agent.
- The same oxidizing properties result in a bleaching or whitening action, and the DioxiCare System is now formulated in a tooth whitening gel. As a matter of comparison, the concentration of chlorine dioxide needed to effectively whiten teeth is significantly lower than the peroxide concentration utilized in peroxide-based tooth whitening formulas currently on the market. These peroxide products often cause irritation and sensitivity to the teeth and gums, and may even cause potential nerve damage.
- Frontier's DioxiCare products have and continue to be tested extensively for various indications, including disinfection efficacy, wound healing and toxicity evaluations. Frontier is working towards a disinfection stamp of approval from the EPA, as well as FDA approval for several medical indications. An IND is presently in progress for our Wound Irrigant Liquid at a major University Hospital. Other research projects include the use of DioxiCare technology for personal decontamination against Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents.
Active vs. Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide
Active and Stabilized chlorine dioxide are not the same. The term, "Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide", is misleading. There is little or no chlorine dioxide (ClO2) in the stabilized chlorine dioxide compound.
Stabilized chlorine dioxide products are prepared by buffering sodium chlorite with carbonate or phosphate and hydrogen peroxide. This stabilizes the chlorite, not chlorine dioxide. Stabilized chlorite is not the same as chlorine dioxide, and does not have the same oxidizing properties. The oxidizing action of chlorite is much lower, and is far less useful. Another main difference between the two compounds is that chlorine dioxide is a gas, and sodium chlorite is a salt.
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To make active chlorine dioxide, an acid is mixed with chlorite, which slowly releases the gas. The gas is then captured in a solution or gel. This reaction normally requires high acidity (low pH). Frontier, however, has patented a method of speeding the release of chlorine dioxide at mild acidity (closer to neutral pH). The resulting product is then optimized for use on the body.
The manufacturers of stabilized chlorine dioxide appropriate the term "stabilized" to capitalize on the beneficial properties of chlorine dioxide. The misleading stabilized chlorine dioxide phrase has become popular by effective marketing. Many people refer to it without knowing the difference, and research papers incorporate it incorrectly. The stabilized manufacturers "justify" the misnomer by stating that the term has been in use for some time.
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The DioxiCare® System
