Baking Soda for Brushing Teeth: Pros & Cons
Baking soda has long been used as an alternative to toothpaste. Many people will admit to brushing teeth with baking soda. Today, many toothpaste manufacturers incorporate baking soda into their formula. As with most things, there are pros and cons associated with using this agent as a toothpaste alternative.
Pros of Brushing Teeth with Baking Soda
It works to help clean teeth. According to the Journal of Clinical Dentistry (June 2008), brushing teeth with baking soda products was proven more effective than using products without baking soda.
It’s inexpensive. If you use just baking soda, a box will last you for a long time and costs less than £1.
Cons of Brushing Teeth with Baking Soda
It’s messy. Brushing teeth with baking soda may be inexpensive, but it’s certainly not neat. Baking soda manufacturers have not mastered the handy packaging you find among most toothpastes.
It feels gritty. Anyone who has experienced brushing teeth with baking soda will most likely comment on the unpleasant feeling of soda throughout their mouth.
Brushing with baking soda alone will not provide you with the fluoride you need that could help re-mineralise teeth or prevent the damage that bacteria in plaque causes.
Sceptical of brushing your teeth with baking soda alone? Give it a try! Using fluoride and baking soda toothpaste also strengthens teeth, reduces plaque buildup, keeps teeth clean, and aids in whitening by removing surface stains.
Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19278079/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324341
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002817717308097