Brushing your teeth with baking soda can help…. see more

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a fine, white powder with almost innumerable household uses. Known mainly as a leavening agent, baking soda can do a lot more than make bread rise.

One of its most popular uses is as a teeth cleaner and whitener. But is it as safe and effective as regular toothpaste?

Here’s a look at the benefits and limitations of using baking soda on your teeth, and how to use it safely to remove plaque and oral bacteria.

Does baking soda work as a toothpaste?
Yes, it does work. While baking soda can’t protect your teeth from cavities as effectively as a fluoride toothpaste can, it’s still considered a good cleaning agent for your teeth.

Toothpastes containing baking soda have been shownTrusted Source to have antibacterial properties, which can help protect your teeth from decay.

What are the pros and cons?
Here’s what we know about the benefits and drawbacks of using baking soda as part of your dental hygiene regimen.

Advantages
Reduces plaque and gingivitis
BiofilmsTrusted Source are colonies of bacteria that attach to the surface of your teeth and eventually cause problems like gingivitis and cavities. Plaque is one example of a dental biofilm.

When you brush, grains of baking soda disruptTrusted Source that biofilm, reducing the bacteria count and helping to prevent damage to your teeth and gums.

May reduce bacteria
Some harmful bacteria need more acidic conditions to thrive in your mouth.

A 2017 studyTrusted Source showed that when you rinse your mouth with a baking soda and water solution, the pH in your mouth increases, making it less acidic. As a result, using baking soda as a toothpaste may make it harder for cavity-causing bacteria to multiply in your mouth.

Whitens teeth
Baking soda has natural whitening properties and has been shown to be effective at removing stains on your teeth and whitening your smile. That’s why it’s a popular ingredient in many commercial toothpastes.

Numerous studies have shown that baking soda is a mild abrasive that has the ability to remove stains from the outside of your teeth.

Is a fluoride-free option
Too much fluoride can be toxic, especially to children under 6 years old. However, it’s important to note that fluoride toxicity is rare, and the risks are only a concern when a very large amount of fluoride is consumed.

Fluoride toxicityTrusted Source can cause pain, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney, and heart problems. For that reason, many people prefer a toothpaste, like baking soda, that’s free of fluoride and the risks of toxicity.

Is inexpensive
At roughly 52 cents an ounce, baking soda is affordable and readily available in nearly every drugstore, grocery store, and big-box retailer.