Can I Whiten My Teeth with Baking Soda?

Baking soda along with a number of other household items have multiple purposes. Baking soda by itself or mixed with other items can be used to get rid of bad odors, unclog drains, remove stains from carpets, alleviate heartburn, and help with a number of other things. Baking soda is a great product to have in the house, but does it whiten teeth?

Baking Soda Cleans Your Teeth

baking soda, whitening, clean teethIf you’re thinking about using baking soda on your teeth then there are a couple of things you should know. Although there is a lot of talk that baking soda whitens teeth, it is actually better used as a cleaning agent. Baking soda alone will not whiten deep stains or change the color of your teeth from yellow to white in one use. Baking soda is great for removing surface stains which can brighten your smile and make your teeth clean. This may appear to whiten your teeth when in reality your teeth are just cleaner.

Baking Soda and Oral Hygiene

Since baking soda is a great teeth cleaning agent you can get a great clean by mixing a bit of baking soda with water and dipping your toothbrush in it. You can also add a bit of hydrogen peroxide to brighten your smile even more. Baking soda is made of sodium bicarbonate which makes it a great cleaner but does not do the job of regular fluoride toothpaste. Baking soda does not fight plaque so it’s important to still use your regular toothpaste to prevent cavities and gum disease. Another important note is to be careful using baking soda if you have braces or a built in retainer because it can easily soften the glue that holds those items in your mouth

You can buy toothpastes that have baking soda in them but don’t rely on baking soda alone to keep your teeth and mouth clean. Contact Greenspoint Dental for more information on whitening your teeth or for any help you need to get the smile you want.