Baking Soda and Teeth Whitening
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a type of salt readily available in most homes. On its own, it usually looks like a small crystal (similar to table salt) or a fine powder. One practical use of baking soda in dental products is as a toothpaste ingredient.
You can generally whiten your teeth in two ways: by bleaching the teeth with peroxides or using an abrasive to remove stains. Baking soda is an abrasive that can help remove stains when rubbed against your teeth's hard outer layer known as the enamel.
Considering using toothpaste with baking soda? Luckily, toothpaste containing baking soda is effective and safe for whitening teeth, according to the Journal of the American Dental Association. Even better, baking soda is less abrasive than many alternatives and similar in hardness to your teeth’s dentin. Together, these factors make it a safe option for daily use in your oral care routine.
Because baking soda removes discoloration from the surface of your teeth, it won’t remove deeper stains. According to the Mayo Clinic, toothpaste containing baking soda can help coffee and smoking stains, and it could take between two to six weeks for you to notice a difference.
If a toothpaste containing baking soda doesn’t whiten your teeth as much as you’d like, consider scheduling an appointment with a dentist or dental hygienist. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, professional whitening treatments can work as well as weeks of at-home options, so they might be a great choice for your smile.
Helpful tip: Baking soda is not the same as baking powder. Unlike baking soda, baking powder also contains acid and cornstarch used as an ingredient in baking. You won’t find any toothpaste with baking powder!