A nonaqueous gel composition for tooth whitening, comprising: (A) tooth
whitening ingredient having a relative permittivity of 17.0 to 43.0 (at
25.degree. C.) and a vapor pressure of 0 to 7000 kPa (at 25.degree. C.),
(B) substance that is soluble in the tooth whitening ingredient and is
precipitated by an aqueous solution of calcium chloride, and (C) gelling
agent, which nonaqueous gel composition contains substantially none of
water and peroxide. This tooth whitening component can penetrate into the
enamel surface layer of teeth to thereby alter the optical properties,
such as refractive index and reflectance, of the enamel so that the
enamel is apparently whitened. The whitened teeth can be restored to the
original tooth color in a reversible manner in the presence of water.
Further the persistence of reversible whitening effect can be strikingly
enhanced by the nonaqueous gel composition.