Toothpaste with fluoride is your typical go-to for every day cleaning of your teeth, but did you know that occasional brushing with baking soda may actually improve your oral health? Not only is this crystalline powder good for making cakes, but it also helps to remove surface stains from your teeth, brighten your smile, and fight bad breath. Of course you should still use regular toothpaste to reap the benefits of fluoride, but incorporating this multi-purpose powder into your routine a few times a week may be a good idea.

What is baking soda?

Typically used in recipes, sodium bicarbonate is a weak alkaline compound that has many uses. It is gently abrasive, so it is often used for cleaning and polishing silver or other sensitive metals. Mixed with water to form a paste, it can be applied to bee stings or even applied as deodorant.

How To Use It

When brushing your teeth with baking soda, you can dip your toothbrush that has toothpaste already on it into the powder for a boost; or you can even brush with the powder all by itself. Some people choose to make a paste with the powder, water, and lemon juice for extra stain-fighting power. Although this may remove some surface stains, you should not brush with lemon juice every day because it may harm your tooth enamel.

Are there any disadvantages?

Unfortunately, brushing with baking soda does have a few disadvantages. It should never completely replace your toothpaste; because unlike toothpaste, baking soda does not contain any fluoride to help strengthen your teeth and fight cavities. With excessive use, the abrasive white powder can actually cause deterioration of your tooth enamel, creating weak or sensitive areas. Also, if you have braces or permanent retainers you should avoid sodium bicarbonate completely because it can cause brackets to fall off and unsightly dark spots to appear on your teeth.

ABOUT YOUR CONROE DENTIST:

The Dental Centre of Conroe, John M Richards DDS delivers distinctive cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentistry for residents of Conroe, Houston, The Woodlands, Willis, Huntsville, and the neighboring communities. For more information about our services, or to schedule an appointment, contact us by calling (936) 441-4600.