Should you brush your teeth with soda: the benefits and harms of a popular whitening product

People who want to achieve a snow-white smile in an accessible and inexpensive way are interested in the question of whether it is possible to brush your teeth with baking soda. It is generally accepted that the use of this simple remedy is an effective method of removing plaque and whitening enamel.

People have been using baking soda for brushing their teeth for a long time. This method of teeth whitening has gained its popularity due to the fact that it does not require financial costs, takes little time and is very easy to use. But in addition to the advantages, brushing your teeth with soda also has disadvantages. It's time to figure this out.

How does baking soda affect teeth?

Soda is a good and inexpensive disinfectant. Even now, doctors recommend using it in dental treatment of infants who are diagnosed with stomatitis or oral thrush.

Soda kills fungus and promotes rapid healing of ulcers on the mucous membrane that appear as a result of stomatitis due to its high regenerative properties. In addition, sodium bicarbonate has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. Dentists often prescribe rinses or baths with soda or soda-saline solution for purulent periodontitis and pulpitis, after opening the cavity of the affected tooth.

In America, clinical observations of the oral health of patients using soda pastes for brushing their teeth and microbiological analyzes of the contents from the oral cavity of these patients showed that the concentration of pathogenic microorganisms is significantly reduced.

Whitening effect of brushing teeth with baking soda

As for hard tooth tissues, soda has a good whitening effect . The enamel is lightened by at least 0.5 shades, which can be compared with professional oral hygiene. This happens thanks to abrasive particles that efficiently clean the tooth surface from dental plaque and food debris. Conventionally, you can compare brushing your teeth with soda to cleaning various surfaces with sandpaper.

American scientists even conducted a study in 2008 that showed that pastes based on baking soda are much better at removing dental plaque than pastes with a soda-free composition or a low concentration.

It is necessary to take into account the fact that soda is a pure abrasive. Abrasive particles are found in many toothpastes, especially whitening ones. Dentists do not recommend using whitening toothpastes for longer than 2 weeks, because... abrasive particles can thin the enamel layer of the tooth, leading to hypersensitivity. For this reason, pure abrasive in the form of baking soda definitely cannot be used often . Dentists also do not recommend using soda in dry, undiluted form.

You also need to pay attention to the pH of the soda. It is equal to 8, which is typical for an alkaline environment. Many people are afraid of this indicator, but it is only dangerous for the protective barrier of the skin, which is manifested by redness around the mouth if soda pastes act on the skin for a long time. For the oral cavity, an alkaline environment, on the contrary, is positive, because it neutralizes acidity. It is high acidity that contributes to the destruction of hydroxyapatites in the enamel, which act as a kind of skeleton, thereby disrupting the structure of hard tissues and provoking the development of caries and its complications in the future.

Soda teeth whitening:

The benefits and harms of cleaning

Only baking soda is suitable for teeth!

The advantages of sodium bicarbonate pastes include:

• Achieving a positive result quickly, the enamel becomes lighter after the first procedure.
• Easy to prepare pasta and use it.
• Removal of all dental plaque.
• Low cost.
• Relief of unpleasant odor from the oral cavity.
• Relief of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity.
• Accelerated healing of wounds in the mouth.
• Neutralization of acidity in the mouth.
• Destruction of pathogenic microorganisms and fungi of the genus Candida that cause candidiasis (thrush).

There are also disadvantages :

• High abrasive properties. Frequent use of soda contributes to the thinning of the enamel layer and the development of the carious process in the future.
• Irritating effect on soft tissues in the form of red spots or rashes around the mouth.
• Risk of developing bleeding gums.
• The appearance of sensitivity to hot, cold and sour with frequent use of the soda bleaching procedure.
• The short duration of the achieved result.

Important! To prevent the development of these shortcomings, it is not recommended to use products with sodium bicarbonate more than once every 3-4 weeks.

Opinions about the method

Baking soda, as the main ingredient in many dental whitening recipes, is used by many patients who do not want to go to the dental office. Moreover, there are much more positive reviews .

You can share your experience of using this substance to lighten enamel with other readers by leaving a comment on the article.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

Tags at home teeth whitening recipes soda

Did you like the article? stay tuned

Previous article

How to strengthen gums at home: tips, recipes, recommendations

Next article

Recommendations for using the Waterpik WP 450 portable irrigator

Indications for using soda

Soda must be used when the enamel darkens due to plaque formation

The main indication for using soda pastes when brushing teeth is darkening of the enamel.

The following factors contribute to darkening:

• Consumption of foods and drinks with food colorings.
• Smoking.
• Age.
• Poor oral hygiene.

Baking soda can combat these reasons.

But there are reasons that can only be eliminated by professional, internal tooth whitening. These include:

1. Tooth injury.
2. Consequences of endodontic treatment.
3. Taking certain medications.
4. Genetics.

In these cases, the darkening of the enamel begins from the inside, and superficial whitening methods will not give even minimal results.

Video experiment to identify the effect of soda and salt on teeth:

Indications and contraindications for whitening

Your teeth should have a fairly strong and thick layer of enamel. Only a dentist can determine its condition. The yellow coating should be superficial. If it is deep, then teeth whitening methods will not bring you the desired result.

Contraindications:

• Increased sensitivity of teeth;
• Allergy to hydrogen peroxide;
• Caries;
• Damage to enamel.

So, if the dentist has determined that there are no contraindications to the procedure, you can perform home teeth whitening, saving time and money, but always proceed from the principle of “do no harm.”

Rules of application

To achieve white teeth without damaging the enamel layer of the tooth, you need to use sodium bicarbonate a maximum of once a month. In this case, you need to use it mixed with water, the consistency should be mushy. You can use any other solvent.

Attention! Do not use dry soda under any circumstances; it can leave scratches on the enamel layer.

This is what the paste should look like

In addition, dry soda powder feels like sand in the mouth, which causes discomfort. It is better to use the product in diluted form, mixing it with toothpaste or other substance.

There are several proven recipes for preparing homemade soda pastes and solutions, which will be discussed below.

The method of brushing your teeth can be standard, but it is better to use circular movements of the brush. This will not only clean the tooth surfaces, but also massage the gums, improving tissue trophism.

Useful video

From this video you will learn how to use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth:

From all that has been said, we can conclude that any dental procedures must be carried out using professional means or under the supervision of the attending physician . Whitening enamel yourself is very dangerous. To avoid further harm, you must consult your doctor and follow all instructions clearly.

Is it possible to brush your teeth with baking soda every day?

Dentists have a negative attitude towards any abrasive products, therefore, from a professional point of view, daily brushing of teeth with soda is prohibited. It was already mentioned above that daily use leads to destructive processes in tooth tissue, but people still strive to achieve positive dynamics and consolidate this result for a long time.

Carefully! It is impossible to achieve a lasting result with whitening soda. Excessive efforts will lead to other dental problems that cannot be treated at home.

The effect after brushing teeth with soda does not last long, which explains the desire of patients to use this method of hygiene more often. However, daily use thins the enamel more and more. Dentin, which is much darker, begins to appear through the thin enamel layer.

As a result, the teeth become even darker than they were before and it will no longer be possible to achieve lightening at home. In addition, thin enamel easily allows waste products of pathogenic microflora, which are the source of the development of most dental diseases, to pass through it.

Dentist on brushing teeth with soda:

Is it possible to brush your child's teeth with baking soda?

It is better not to brush teeth with a milk bite with soda. There are several reasons for this:

1. The enamel is already white and does not need bleaching.
2. The enamel is not fully formed and is very porous, which can contribute to its rapid destruction.

Preparing for the teeth whitening procedure

To minimize the harm from peroxide, it is necessary to prepare your teeth for the whitening procedure:

• take a course of vitamins and mineral complexes: Calcium-D3 Nycomed, Kalcemin;
• reduce the amount of sweets consumed;
• at least a week before the procedure, stop eating too spicy, hot or sour foods;
• Brush your teeth for a month with special medicinal pastes: Lacalut, Splat;
• For 1.5 months, include in your diet foods that contain a lot of calcium and fluoride: seafood, milk, herbs, vegetables.

Before home whitening, it is advisable to consult with a dentist so that he can assess the condition of the enamel and make a conclusion about the feasibility, usefulness and safety of the procedure. Only a dentist can determine whether it is possible to whiten teeth with hydrogen peroxide without compromising their functionality in a particular case or whether it is better to resort to more professional and gentle methods.

How to brush your teeth with soda

Before you start brushing your teeth with soda, you need to be completely sure that:

• The enamel is of sufficient thickness.
• The enamel is free of microcracks.
• There is no hypersensitivity.
• Darkening of the enamel layer is not associated with genetic factors, injury or medications.

Personal hygiene products used to clean dental surfaces with soda pastes:

• A toothbrush with soft bristles (some dentists recommend not using a brush at all, but replacing it with a bandage, a cotton swab, or simply using your index finger to brush).
• Toothpaste (non-whitening), water, lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide.

Cleaning technique:

1. Combine baking soda with one of the ingredients: water, toothpaste or lemon juice until it becomes mushy.
2. Place the mixture on the head of your toothbrush.
3. Clean dental surfaces using circular movements, without much force.
4. Duration of cleaning is up to 3 minutes (if water or toothpaste is used as a solvent), no more than 1 minute (if the solvent is lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide).
5. Rinse your mouth vigorously with running water or a mint or herbal mouthwash to remove the unpleasant aftertaste.

Recipe options

The most popular recipes using soda are:

Video about teeth whitening with baking soda and peroxide:

Homemade pastes with soda

• If there is a large amount of plaque covering more than half of the dental crowns, you can prepare a powerful paste. It consists of hydrogen peroxide, soda, salt and industrial toothpaste in equal parts.

Soda

Salt

Toothpaste

• If inflammation of the soft tissues of the oral cavity occurs frequently , you can use a homemade eucalyptus-based paste. The ingredients include warm olive oil (2 teaspoons), finely chopped and grated eucalyptus leaves (1 teaspoon), baking soda (1 teaspoon) and a teaspoon of fine salt.

Olive oil

Eucalyptus leaves Soda Salt

• If you are prone to developing tartar, you can prepare a paste with more aggressive abrasive particles. To prepare you will need 20 grams of soda, 45 grams of chalk, 50 grams of white clay and peppermint essential oil (10 drops).

Soda

Chalk

White clay

Peppermint essential oil

Rinsing your mouth with peroxide

One of the effective methods for whitening enamel at home is rinsing your mouth with hydrogen peroxide. To do this, you need to prepare a solution: peroxide and simple chilled water are mixed in a one-to-one ratio. You should rinse your mouth with the prepared preparation for a minute after each brushing of your teeth with toothpaste.

Each time it is necessary to prepare a new peroxide solution. When rinsing, it should not be in contact with the mucous membrane for a long time; after the procedure, you should rinse the mouth with water. To increase the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide, the crowns should be treated with a remineralizing gel after each rinse.

You need to whiten your teeth with diluted hydrogen peroxide every day for a week. Afterwards, you need to take a break for 10–14 days, after which you can resume the whitening course.

Teeth rinse recipe

To avoid rinsing your mouth with a strong-smelling peroxide solution, you can prepare a flavored mouthwash.

Recipe for preparing a flavored mouthwash based on hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening at home:

1. Take an empty dark glass bottle. Plastic containers cannot be used, as they interact with essential oils.
2. Pour 200 ml of distilled or filtered water into the bottle.
3. Add 120 ml of hydrogen peroxide (3%) to the water.
4. Mix 15 drops of essential oil with 1 tbsp. l. honey
5. Place all ingredients in a bottle and mix them thoroughly.

You can rinse your mouth with a peroxide-based solution in courses of two weeks, after each course you must take a break.

The following essential oils are suitable for making scented bleach:

• carnations;
• peppermint;
• grapefruit;
• rosemary;
• sweet orange.

Effect

The result of using a homemade paste based on sodium bicarbonate is noticeable after the first cleaning. The enamel is lightened by at least 0.5 tones. At the same time, soda can cope not only with soft plaque.

Before and after teeth whitening with baking soda

The paste also effectively removes pigmented plaque and tartar. However, the effect is short-lived . The enamel returns to its original shade after 2 – 3 days.

Video review of brushing teeth with soda:

Precautions for use

The negative impact on enamel can be minimized by following a few simple rules when using sodium bicarbonate to lighten teeth:

• It is advisable to be very careful when using this substance in large quantities in its pure form.
• After the procedure, you must rinse your mouth thoroughly with clean warm water.
• Immediately after bleaching, during the first hour, you should not take very hot or cold food and drinks, as well as foods that contain strong dyes.
• Procedures cannot be carried out daily for a long time.

Remember also that a properly chosen diet will help strengthen the enamel and saturate it with essential microelements. It is advisable to begin such strengthening a few weeks before the start of bleaching.

How to minimize damage to enamel

You can brush your teeth with baking soda using your finger.

To reduce the risk of enamel damage, you should adhere to the following recommendations :

1. Brush your teeth with baking soda no more than once a month.
2. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush for cleaning, or better yet, a cotton swab, gauze, or simply brush your teeth with your finger.
3. On other days, it is better to perform oral hygiene with therapeutic and prophylactic pastes containing useful minerals.
4. If even a slight sensitivity appears from the procedure of brushing teeth with soda, it is better to refuse altogether.

Methods for whitening tooth enamel with soda

There are several ways to get rid of plaque using baking soda. The simplest is dry powder cleaning. It is necessary to apply a little powder and walk it over the entire surface of the teeth. You should not use a toothbrush for this; it is better to take a damp cotton pad. The result will be visible immediately - the enamel will become lighter.

Another way is to use a paste to which you need to add a little soda before cleaning. To do this, it is better to choose a fluoride-containing toothpaste that supports and restores tooth enamel. It is recommended to use a brush with soft bristles.

Write a comment

• Tatiana

  February 9, 2016 at 10:52 pm

  Sodium bicarbonite is my favorite helper in everything at home, as it is relatively harmless. I didn’t use it for whitening, or rather I didn’t realize, but the whole family used it for cleaning teeth for a long time during the terrible hard times of the 90s, when everything simply disappeared from the shelves, including toothpaste. The condition of the teeth did not worsen, although they intuitively understood that there was no need to rub too much and be sure to rinse generously. After reading the article, I remembered its effectiveness and decided to mix dental mint powder with baking soda, apply the mixture to the teeth and leave for 5 minutes. Afterwards I brushed it a little and rinsed thoroughly. The result appeared immediately.

• Alexandra

  February 11, 2016 at 9:27 pm

  Soda certainly gives its results. 2 years ago I dreamed of a snow-white smile, and without hesitation I went to the clinic. Since I have rather sensitive teeth, the attentive doctor did not impose whitening, so as not to further thin the enamel. At first I was a little upset, but after reading a lot of positive reviews, I decided to try home whitening with soda. The effect surprised me. My teeth became much whiter and didn’t hurt at all. So I recommend it to all readers who are still looking for their own method of solving this problem. Good luck!

• Anna

  June 2, 2016 at 7:54 am

  Tooth powder is almost impossible to find on sale, which is a pity. I found it once in my life in a children's store, and never saw it again. At home I whiten my teeth with soda, because in dentists they do cleaning with it, also under pressure. So what's the difference? Moreover, pastes sometimes contain soda, so I think there will be no harm. I also tried to whiten with lemon, but my teeth became more sensitive to cold water.

• Natalia

  November 14, 2016 at 8:12 am

  I tried many traditional methods in order to get a white-toothed smile. But all home methods (soda, activated carbon, peroxide, lemon juice, etc.) give only short-term insignificant results, and besides, the teeth become very sensitive. Several times a week I brush with toothpaste and baking soda to better remove plaque, but I still have to go to the dentist for whiteness.

• Elena

  May 16, 2022 at 12:05 pm

  I personally tried to whiten my teeth at home. Namely soda. The result shocked me. In just a couple of uses, my teeth became a shade, or even two, whiter, and the yellowness from coffee disappeared. I used it this way: I poured a little baking soda on my brush and toothpaste and brushed it. This should be done no more than once a week, otherwise sensitivity will appear on the gums.

• Olga

  November 27, 2022 at 10:15 pm

  Read also:  Why does a wisdom tooth grow incorrectly and what to do in such a situation?

  Oh, it turns out there are simply a lot of options for such whitening. At one time I tried the Neumyvakin method. My teeth actually became a little whiter. But it became a little scary for the enamel and I put this method aside. I think I'll try again. But still, in my opinion, this method is good for removing plaque. No more.