DIY Beauty: baking soda to whiten your teeth
Wednesday, 27 August 2008
I’m getting hooked on DIY beauty! Because it’s fun, it’s healthy and it’s cheap! Here’s my experience with using baking soda to whiten my teeth. It works! Okay, don’t expect the sort of sparkling white teeth you see on celebrities but baking soda will take off some of the coffee and tea stains and give you a cleaner looking set of teeth.
Baking soda to brush teeth is safe
This is one of the most popular and safest DIY methods to whiten your teeth naturally. There are some DIY suggestions of using lemon juice or strawberries but those could do more harm by eroding the calcium in your teeth or cause tooth cavities. However, you want to know that baking soda is pretty abrasive on contact. So on some forums, the advice is to dig a toothbrush into the baking soda and then to start brushing. Well, not very good. You’ll find that your gums hurt quite a bit this way. The best way I have found through trial and error is to mix the baking soda with toothpaste.
Baking soda mixed with toothpaste
First, I squeeze some toothpaste on my toothbrush as usual. Then I top it up with a small spoonful of baking soda and start brushing. You can use baking soda only of course but I find that the toothpaste helps to ease off some of the abrasiveness of the dry powder for me.
Whiter teeth in a week
I saw a slight difference after the first brushing using baking soda. Within a week of brushing with this ingredient once a day, my teeth was noticeably whiter. Even my husband noticed and he has started to use it too.
Brushing with baking soda once or twice a week
However, I plan to slow down now that I see results and will probably keep to brushing with baking soda only once or twice a week. This is because I feel that baking soda while safe, is still a mild abrasive cleaner so I don’t want to use it everyday. And by the way, this stuff taste salty!
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Posted in Homemade/DIY | 66 Comments »
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August 27th, 2008 at 11:36 am
I used to use this too at my mom’s prompting. Now that I have baking soda from starting to bake, I should get back to it. I need to clean my teeth! Thanks for the reminder.
Paris: I’ve heard about this for ages but never got round to trying till now. Love how clean my teeth looks now!
August 27th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
This is interesting. I never know abt this.Thanks for sharing.
nicole: Actually I find this method better than purchasing those commercial whitening toothpaste which has never done anything for me.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I’m going to try this out. what’s the amount of baking soda you add to the toothpaste, assuming that you squeeze a line out onto the standard toothbrush?
Lin: About half a teaspoon enough to cover the entire top of the toothpaste.
August 29th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
thanks, I did some searching up on the net, and found that many people mix it with water which causes the baking soda to become a paste and then using it to brush like a toothpaste.
do you use it dry with toothpaste, or as a paste? Perhaps as a paste, it’s less abrasive?
Lin: I tried it as a paste initially but it’s not so good. Moreover I found it more time consuming cos I got to get the paste consistency right. And the irony of using baking soda is that you clean better because it has that abrasive feel. So I noticed that when I mixed with my toothpaste, it still retains that abrasiveness but lesser and also, it sort of taste better.
Anyway, you try and do what suits your preference.
You start with the front and continue to brush like you would with a normal toothpaste. The rest of it will benefit from the baking soda.
August 29th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
I forgot to add, do you only use it for the front of the teeth where it’s most important, or for the entire mouth?
August 31st, 2008 at 9:24 am
[...] Viva Woman discovers that baking soda really whitens her teeth! [...]
August 31st, 2008 at 2:36 pm
that’s what i need!!!
i am always feeling bad for my teeth..
must try~~
hope this works for me
thx…
akiki: Hope it’ll work for you!
August 31st, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Hi lin! Can I know where to buy PURE baking soda like yours? I have only seen “baking powders” and “soda bicarbonate”.. Is it the same thing? thanks a million!
panda: You can look it up at the supermarket. The one I have is the Arm & Hammer. Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda.
September 1st, 2008 at 4:20 am
[...] Viva Woman discovers that baking soda really whitens her teeth! [...]
September 1st, 2008 at 7:05 am
[...] Viva Woman discovers that baking soda really whitens her teeth! [...]
September 18th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I’m happy to hear that others have been trying out baking soda! I’ve actually been brushing my teeth with only baking soda for the past 2 years. To use, I first wet my toothbrush with water, then I dip the brush into the box of baking soda. I brush my teeth with the dry baking soda until most of the soda has mixed with the water/saliva in my mouth, and then I brush my gums and my tongue. Amazingly, my teeth are whiter than the rest of my family’s, and I’ve never had a cavity in my entire life! And by the way, the salty taste is really easy to get used to, and my mouth NEVER burns like it did when I used to use toothpaste(it really is a bunch of bull about “the burn says it’s working” – my mouth is extremely healthy, and I’m not in pain after brushing my teeth!) Good luck to the rest of you with your baking soda experiments, and don’t forget that you can add baking soda to your laundry for an extra detergent boost!
Lauren: I should try it for the detergent soon! I’m also experimenting it on my skin now.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Is baking soda = baking powder??
jo: No, they’re not the same although they’re used for baking purposes. Baking soda is stronger. You can find it at the supermarkets.
October 14th, 2008 at 2:33 am
You know, you could just buy the toothpaste that already has baking soda in it, for pretty much the same price. It works just the same for me.
Cat: They have toothpaste made with baking soda??? I haven’t seen it here (I’m located in Singapore). Do you know where this is available?
October 16th, 2008 at 12:24 am
I want to try this to brighten my teeth. I brush with one drop of Dr. Bronner’s soap currently which has no chemicals. Yesterday I learned about using one T baking soda and a cupped hand of water to wash the crown of the head, leave on one minute and rinse. A weak solution of apple cider vinegar or lemon can be used as a rinse. Apply honey on face and hair if desired. Rinse.
olie: I’ve tried using Dr Bronner’s soap to brush too! But the smell…it taste yucky to me! It does feel cleaner but I really can’t take the taste so I’ve stopped. And thanks for your hair rinse recipe. Sounds interesting. I believe it can help greasy scalps?
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:12 am
[...] Viva Woman discovers that baking soda really whitens her teeth! [...]
October 28th, 2008 at 1:45 am
Thank you for sharing this is amazing~~ I wanna run out and try this now!
andrea: Great! Hope you’ll like it!
October 30th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
ok im am going to do it ur way but doesnt it affect the gums? im only going to do this once or twice a week
John: Your gums will probably hurt a little the first time but it should be better after that. With the toothpaste, it helps to ease the abrasiveness. Or you can try mixing the baking soda with water and make it into a paste instead. That would be less abrasive.
November 20th, 2008 at 3:35 am
I’ve been using baking soda and water for a while now, it actually works. I even got the rest of the people in my house to use it. Everyone just seems so amazed about the results. I mean your teeth just feels way more cleaner then using toothpaste!
nini: Yes, it’s great isn’t it! But I don’t use it everyday. About once a week now.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
This is really hard, I just red somewhere else, that baking soda doesn’t do anything, that it’s bleaching effect is basically just an urban legend and the bleaching capabilities were never proved. The only reason that people using it would have whiter teeth, would be because they might tend to brush their teeth more often and more intense.
I was about to try it, because I drink lots of tea, but now I’m not so sure anymore.
Rick: Just try it! I’m certain it’s not an urban legend. Your teeth will be whiter than using toothpaste but don’t expect the sort of whiteness when you visit the dental.
January 1st, 2009 at 12:23 pm
[...] my pore size and saved my pocket! The cheapest and most effective DIY ingredient I have found is baking soda which not only helped to erase some of my teeth stains but also help to keep my backheads at bay. I [...]
January 3rd, 2009 at 5:07 am
when you say ‘twice a week’. does that mean two days in the week (ie in the morning and at night) or just two brushes.
James: Two days in a week and only one time per day. Not two brushes…
March 16th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I brush my teeth every morning and night, so that makes two brushings a day. I tried this method for two days, but did not see the slightest difference. So, I have been brushing my teeth with only baking soda (wet brush and dip) for the past three days. Then, I brush my teeth normally right afterwards.
Still no results. I have never smoked or drunk coffee or tea. All I drink is water! What am I doing wrong?
Karen: To begin with, is your teeth yellow or is it already quite white? As I mentioned, don’t expect the baking soda to make your teeth very white. It’ll remove stains. I suspect that your teeth may not have these stains since you don’t drink coffee or tea. If your teeth is slightly yellow, then it could be due to other reasons that baking soda may not be able to help. For example, it helps relieve my staining from drinking and eating but not those I got due to aging.
March 16th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
I’m 20 years old, and my teeth are pretty yellow…I’m embarrassed to wear white shirts because of it. =(
Karen: Hey, that’s young so I doubt yours is due to stains. It could be inherent as I know some pple have naturally yellow teeth. In this case, the baking soda is not going to help you. Have you tried checking with a dentist?
March 17th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
I haven’t been to a dentist in a while because of lack of insurance…=[ I didn’t even realize my teeth were yellow until a couple months ago when I saw a picture of myself wearing a white shirt. *sigh*
Thanks for your help anyway! I love your site, by the way. I will be returning frequently!
Karen: Hope you’ll find a solution to your problem. I hate going to the dentist btw. And thanks for coming back often! I hope some of the other information will be useful for you.
March 22nd, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Cool! Thanks for the tip
DO you know how long I should keep using baking soda to see some visible result?
CEH: If your teeth have been stained by drinking tea or coffee, then you should see some results after the first brush. Otherwise, 5 days and you should see more visible results.
April 20th, 2009 at 2:08 am
This does work!!! I thought I had heard about it and found your page while searching to see how to do it. I just brushed 3x with the baking soda on there (to give it a boost) and my teeth are noticibly whiter. I’m going to continue once a day for a week then will go to once per week, since it is surely abrasive.
I’ve tried EVERYTHING that is offered OTC for whitening, and while some work, it longer for results, and the $$$ adds up quickly.
Amy: It’s not as great as professional dental bleaching but this is safe and works better than most whitening toothpaste out there.
April 20th, 2009 at 3:28 am
i like milk. baking soda tastes yuck. o well. thnx!
May 21st, 2009 at 10:26 pm
1. mix 2 teaspoonful of baking soda with hot water and stir,
2. dip a clean face towel,
3. remove excess water from towel,
4. clean your face with this soda treated towel before going to bed.
It removes facial skin allergies, too!
sesame Reply:
May 22nd, 2009 at 8:28 am
Hey thanks for sharing this interesting recipe!
June 4th, 2009 at 3:02 am
Anyone ever heard of whitening teeth with Baking Soda combined with vinegar?
I used it to make volcanic erruptions with my kids for school projects.
Sounds kinda dangerous?!
sesame Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 11:29 am
For the volcanic eruptions yes…but not for our teeth! Vinegar is acidic I believe…not too good to use on the teeth.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
I’ve read somewhere of brushing with baking soda and toothpaste then rinsing with peroxide… Will it make whitening faster/more effective? Or will it cause damage?
sesame Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Yes I read that. I guess it is more effective going by the comments by some people have issues with peroxide. You need to find out more about it if you’re concerned.
June 6th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Wow that’s pretty cool!
I’m actually only a teenager but of course we get major stress of having “perfect white teeth” so now that I have my braces off I’m going to try this method!
So just to clarify it’s brush once a day for a week, then go to once a week?
sesame Reply:
June 6th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
It’s really up to you in terms of the frequency. Some pple like to use it everyday.
June 9th, 2009 at 10:53 am
[...] to learn that this product actually contains baking soda, an ingredient which I recommended for DIY teeth whitening! Supersmile tooth whitening products are the world’s first oral hygiene line to offer the [...]
June 12th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
i loved this!
i just placed the soda in a glass cup and dipped my tooth brush into it (mess-free. I feel better with this natural method compared to bleaches they place in other whitening products. I saw results after first brush too!
thank youuuuuuuuuu =)
sesame Reply:
June 12th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
I’m glad it worked for you and you like it! I do like it but I find it abrasive on the gums if I use too often.
June 20th, 2009 at 12:03 am
Yes, i visited different dentist, even for whitening using laser which I paid heavily for. Yet, i do not have white teeth brown/yellow. I change paste every time. Please help.
sesame Reply:
June 20th, 2009 at 12:12 am
You can try this remedy but I can’t guarantee you anything. If laser cannot help, I doubt this will do much.
June 20th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Please assist ASAP. The embarasment is becoming unbearable. Thanks.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I am a dental hygienist & yes brushing with baking soda can erase/whiten superficial stains. On a microscopic level however, you are removing/peeling off a layer of your tooth. After 30-40 years your teeth will be chronically yellow because the inside of your tooth (dentin) is VERY yellow & you’ll have removed the outer white peel (enamel). Hydrogen Peroxide strips or bleaching kits (just more hydrogen peroxide, not real bleach) are the best long-term option for whitening teeth. Also drinking lots of water will prevent staining.
I have cleaned many older adults teeth that used baking soda to brush their teeth with for years & know what I’m talking about. They are not happy with the color anymore.
Arm & Hammer baking soda toothpaste has a much finer particle than the boxed cooking stuff & will not scratch off your enamel, so if you like the results, that one is safe to use everyday.
If you’ve tried all whitening techniques known & are still think your teeth are hideous, it is possible you need a therapist. Unless you have a known cause of the serious discoloration such as tetracycline or amelogenesis imperfecta, you could be suffering from an irrational obsession causing you to waste money & could lead to harming yourself.
A slight creamy eggshell color to teeth is quite natural & pretty. Compare the color of your teeth to the whites of your eyes. Too much difference either way is unaesthetic.
sesame Reply:
June 25th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Hey Lisa: Thanks very much for giving your comments to this topic. Much appreciated! I’m so glad to learn that a slightly creamy eggshell color is natural and pretty. And I’m also happy to find out from you that the hydrogen peroxide strips are safe options. I’m currently using Supersmile (contains calprox) and am quite happy with what I see. Although I like baking soda, but it’s abrasive and I think it’s better not to use everyday too.
July 12th, 2009 at 11:17 am
hi im 16 and my teeth are yellow, it makes me so depressed and i cant laugh without covering my mouth with my hand all the tims, i cant even smile properly =(. i am interested in trying the baking soda method, but i have heard alot of things about how it can affect your teeth long term as you get older. i am so sick and tired of comparing my teeth to the whites of my eyes and noticing the (very obvious) difference =( i want to try the baking soda but i am scared it wont work =(….
sesame Reply:
July 12th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Well, no harm trying since baking soda is cheap and won’t harm you.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:31 am
I tried this. Worked a little bit at a time, but if you use it alone without toothpaste, it both hurts your gums (sorta tingly…) and tastes absolutely revolting.
I lather up my toothbrush with toothpaste, then dunk it in baking soda. It’s worth the bad taste for two minutes, though.
sesame Reply:
July 31st, 2009 at 10:07 am
Ya, doesn’t taste good. With toothpaste, it was all right.
August 11th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Hello, I’m not a woman but I hope you will still answer my question.
I’ve been using toothpaste and baking soda for some time now. I’ve kind of noticed that my gums are receeding(I’m approaching 40). Is this because of using baking soda or do I have some sort of periodontal disease or defect? Also what can I do to stop the receeding…if anything?
Thanks
sesame Reply:
August 11th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Strange you should ask me this because I was just looking into this issue. I’m having this problem too! I too was suspecting if the baking soda has anything to do this with but I don’t use this often plus, I was suffering from some form of receding gums before I started on baking soda. It could be age, it could be the way you brush your teeth and it could be periodontal disease.
I’m starting to take more vitamin C & E as I heard that would help. Also using a mouth rinse as I’ve never used that. But I’m plannig to consult a dentist so you may want to do that too.