Brushing your teeth with baking soda can help…. see more
Disadvantages
Unappealing taste and texture
For many users, the biggest downside of brushing with straight baking soda or a baking soda paste is that it doesn’t taste very good. Baking soda’s texture may also make you feel as though you have sand in your mouth — no one’s favorite sensation.
If you want the benefits of baking soda but with a better texture, you could try one of the many commercial toothpastes that list baking soda as an ingredient.
If the texture of natural baking soda doesn’t bother you but the salty taste does, you could add 1 or 2 drops of peppermint oil to the baking soda paste to enhance the taste.
Less dramatic whitening
Baking soda is a mild abrasive. While the American Dental Association (ADA) considers baking soda safe for your enamel and dentin, some researchersTrusted Source have given it a low rating as a teeth whitener because it may not remove stains as effectively as some other products.
If baking soda doesn’t work well for you as a teeth whitener, you may want to consider products that contain hydrogen peroxide or microbead abrasives.
Lack of fluoride
Toothpastes approved by the ADA contain fluoride to prevent dental cavities.
Although fluoride is a natural element abundant in water and air and present in our bones and teeth, additional fluoride in toothpaste provides an extra shield against tooth decay.
Using baking soda as your only toothpaste doesn’t give you the topical fluoride that’s present in many commercial toothpastes. As a result, using baking soda alone may not give you the cavity protection you need.
How to use it to clean your teeth
To brush your teeth with baking soda, you’ll need the following:
a toothbrush
a small bowl or shot glass
baking soda
water
Instructions
First, mix equal parts baking soda and water in a small bowl until you’ve created a paste.
Dip your toothbrush into the soda mix and brush in gentle circles, making sure you cover each tooth thoroughly with the paste.
Keep brushing for around a minute.
When you’re done, spit out the baking soda and rinse your mouth until your teeth are grit-free and shiny.
Some people recommend adding lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to the mix to increase the whitening power of the baking soda, but these blends may not be a good idea.
The acidity of lemon juice and vinegar may damage the surface of your teeth and leave you vulnerable to cavities.
What about toothpastes that contain baking soda?
If you want the best of both worlds — the polishing power of baking soda and the minty flavor of toothpaste — there are plenty of commercial toothpastes available with baking soda as an ingredient.
Multiple studiesTrusted Source show that these toothpastes are better at removing plaque than toothpastes that don’t contain baking soda.
Shop for baking soda whitening toothpastes online.
What else works for teeth whitening?
Products containing hydrogen peroxideTrusted Source whiten your teeth by oxidizing yellow and brown stains on the surface of your teeth. The strongest peroxide products are used in dentist offices, as certain steps need to be taken to protect your tongue and gums from the corrosive effects of the hydrogen peroxide.
Gentler products are available over the counter, but they may take several uses before you see a difference. Here’s a list of the ADA-approved products for whitening your teeth at home.
There’s some evidence that natural remedies like coconut oil, lemon peel, and activated charcoal may be effective teeth whiteners. However, it’s important to talk to your dentist to be sure these treatments are safe for your teeth.
Shop for teeth bleaching products online.
The bottom line
Baking soda is an inexpensive, readily available teeth cleanser. As a mild abrasive, it can lighten some tooth stains, and it can help scrub away dental plaque. However, because it doesn’t contain fluoride, it’s not as effective at preventing cavities as your typical fluoride toothpaste.
Although some people find the salty taste and sandy texture of baking soda unappealing, its availability, pH balance, and mildly abrasive properties make it a good choice for people who want to avoid using a toothpaste that contains fluoride or use it with a toothpaste that has fluoride.
