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!
den
9 Nov 2009 at 10:21 amdude do not use normal toothpaste use only natural. normal ones have fluoride which is absorbed into body and messes up you whole entire health! watch video on youtube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGslBLZa7C0&feature=related
Jane
6 Dec 2009 at 11:55 pmMy Teeth Were Stained And Yellow When I Was Little And Just The Same Will This Still Work ?
NIKUN
13 Dec 2009 at 11:17 pmHELLO.. I M SO HAPPI DAT I READ A NUMBER OF COMMENTS FROM UR WEBSITE.. I HAVE PROBLEM OF THAT DUE TO GUTKA CHEWING IN MY COLLEGE CARRER,IT SEEMS VERY YELLOW/ BROWN/ STRAIN MY TEETH.. DO IT CLAN ALL THESE BY USING BAKING SODA.. I WANT TO KNOW IS IT USED FOR MAKING OF “PAKORA” BY ADDING BAKING SODA?? PL HELP ME
sesame
14 Dec 2009 at 8:33 amYou can try, it might help if the stains are not genetic or permanent. Not sure about Pakora you mentioned but baking soda is added in quite a number of toothpaste too.
However, don’t expect your teeth to be pristine white all at once using this…
Swathy
30 Jan 2010 at 3:41 pmHi
Is eating soda and baking soda one and same thing?
sesame
30 Jan 2010 at 8:16 pmEr…not sure what you mean by eating soda but the baking soda is what you can find in the supermarkets by the same name.
Dreena
27 Mar 2010 at 2:48 amI would have to agree with the dentist duuuuh she knows what she is talking about, but i would also like to say that using baking soda would absolutley be okay to use atleast once and i gaurantee that you will see results that might have you hooked.
Nakayla
27 Apr 2010 at 3:12 pmYeah! Baking Soda does work, It whitens your teeth the right way and you can kindof feel that your teeth feel tight together or your gums hurt a little, but that happened to me the first couple times, but it wont hurt you. After a week or so, people should only use it once or twice a week. But it works, if you put effort into your teeth.hehe.
hayley
7 Jun 2010 at 10:07 amhey,im young and i was just wondering is the taste bareable or what becasue im worried it will be waaay to discusting and also how bad it the pain in your gums.
sesame
7 Jun 2010 at 12:26 pmIt’s salty to taste…not disgusting to me but there are people who say it smells like poop.
Calrise
26 Jun 2010 at 8:40 pmCan using baking powder give the same result?
sesame
27 Jun 2010 at 9:54 pmNo, it’s not the same.
?
2 Nov 2012 at 9:03 amNo, baking powder is TOTALY different.
jojo
26 Jun 2010 at 10:05 pmi have usad this and now i have spotted some yellow spot and white spots
sesame
27 Jun 2010 at 9:55 pmThat’s because some of the stains are either stubborn to remove…you need to brush a few more times or those are yellowing due to aging and they cannot be removed via baking soda or whitening toothpaste.
jojo
26 Jun 2010 at 10:05 pmwhy do i have spotted teeth now
Jose Rodriguez
27 Jun 2010 at 11:51 pmThis is a really nice tip but I was wondering. Does this work on the yellow stains that are permanent on the teeth? Cause i have a friend that has yellow stains on his teeth and he gets embarrassed when he smiles or when he speaks to other people and he brushes his teeth everyday but the stain won’t come off. Please get back at me… I would really appreciate it.
sesame
28 Jun 2010 at 10:04 amNo…it only works on those yellow stains from drinking tea or coffee. Not those that are due to inherent reasons or aging. But you can ask your friend to try since it’s a cheap ingredient.
Hannah
15 Jul 2010 at 9:20 pmHi i’m 12 years old and I have yellow teeth.Its really embarasing so does this really work and how long do you think it will take to kick in?
sesame
16 Jul 2010 at 8:29 amIf your problem is inherent, maybe not. But you can try.
Hannah
16 Jul 2010 at 5:51 pmDo I sprinkle the baking soda on my toothpaste or do I just dip my toothbrush in the baking soda?
sesame
16 Jul 2010 at 10:44 pmYou can try either. I find sprinkling on the toothpaste more bearable as baking soda by it self is salty.
HmH
23 Jul 2010 at 1:02 amokay guys. baking soda does in fact work. usually i make it into a paste with water and dab it on my top teeth and hold my upper lip up so it doesnt rub away. ill hold my lip for a good 30 mins to an hour and let it completly dry every couple days when i am doing nothing (usualy at night) and it does help. the only thing is, i find that when i remove the baking soda paste when im done and go to sleep, ( i sleep with my mouth partially open) the part of my upper teeth that are not covered by my upper lip stay white while the teeth that have come in contact with it and my saliva turn back to the white-yellow color they were before i ‘soda’d’ it . its frustrating.
sesame
23 Jul 2010 at 9:42 amYou can bear with the taste for 30 minutes? Wow, that’s quite a feat.
HmH
23 Jul 2010 at 1:04 ami was also thinking.. you know how you can stain your teeth with coke and by smoking(and other things)>>? instead of bleaching then white.. can you stain them white??>> like with a white makeup pencil or some other white substance?????
elinor
27 Jul 2010 at 6:27 am1. Bleaching teeth and/or putting a paste of baking soda/water on teeth and keeping the lip off them will dry the enamel, making it appear white, sometimes even frosty. When the teeth are rehydrated with saliva, they will darken a bit. Except for surface stains and/or defective enamel, the hydrated enamel’s color reflects the natural color of one’s dentin and, therefore, one’s teeth.
2. Some people have naturally dark dentin. Those who do not use tobacco products, or drink colas/coffee/tea/grape juice/cranberry juice/etc. can still sometimes have dark teeth due to the color of dentin. The enamel covers the dentin. Enamel is translucent and reflects the color of dentin and other oral colors. Using baking soda on teeth with naturally dark dentin will not work to lighten them because it will not lighten the dentin. Options for a more aesthetic appearance include: home bleaching (it does have its limits due to the dentin color), inhouse (in the dental office) bleaching (again, somewhat limited due to the dentin color), and bonded facings (expensive, and not appropriate for every person’s occlusion).
3. Some people have amelogenesis imperfecta, which makes unaesthetic enamel. Bleaching might lighten the enamel a bit, but the best aesthetic result for this condition is from bonded facings. Some people have mottled enamel (lighter and darker “spots”). Bleaching will lighten the enamel, but it will lighten all spots evenly, resulting in a lighter color of mottled enamel.
4. Some people want a “Hollywood” smile. Nobody in Hollywood has natural teeth as white as paper because natural dentin is not neon white. Most entertainment stars and personalities with neon white teeth have bonded facings and/or crowns. A few might have fairly white teeth but then bleached them to the neon excess. Such teeth do NOT look natural because they are not natural.
5. The two main reasons for receding gingival tissues are: (1) improper and excessively aggressive brushing, especially with a toothbrush that does NOT have soft bristles and (2) malocclusion.
Sorry this is somewhat long, but it is still just a very brief overview of lightening teeth and an attempt to answer a few questions.
sesame
27 Jul 2010 at 7:42 amHey, these are great info! I was naive to think that all Hollywood celebs have straight, nice teeth and only discovered quite recently that pple like Tom Cruise had had dental surgery to look like what he does today.
Miss Vinny
19 Oct 2010 at 9:00 amActually, I don’t use baking powder whatsoever. It’s too abrasive, like a certain poster noted. Instead, I use Auromere toothpaste which is really good. =p
of
2 Nov 2010 at 2:52 pmWhitening teeth may be a vital element of dental caretaking. Applying the right products for teeth whitening help your teeth as well as other dental problems.
Christina
19 Nov 2010 at 1:46 pmI have been using baking soda for about 5 days now, and I have noticed a dramatic difference. Honestly, I don’t think my teeth have ever been this white!
sesame
19 Nov 2010 at 4:37 pmIt does help remove the stains…but don’t use it every day.
gigi
16 Nov 2011 at 5:52 amwhy is not good using it everyday??? ((baking soda _))
sesame
16 Nov 2011 at 9:55 amIt can be abrasive and hurt your gums.
george
23 Nov 2010 at 7:27 pmhi, i have a badly chipped crown and it seems as if it rotting from inside. I need to know if it will be wise to use the baking soda.
sesame
24 Nov 2010 at 9:00 amYou should really visit the dentist. The baking soda will remove temporary stains from outside the enamel though.
Dean
24 Nov 2010 at 10:36 amHi,
I tried this for a few weeks straight, every day and it did nothing! I mean I have used it as a paste, sprinkling it on my toothbrush, everything, but it;s made absolutely no change. I am using bicarbonate soda too. This is really frustrating
sesame
24 Nov 2010 at 11:24 amThis will remove temporary stains. If your teeth is inherently yellow, then this will do nothing for it. You’ll need help from the dentist.
wan
28 Nov 2010 at 1:32 amwow this is really work i try it first time and my tartar so easly removed 😀 thanks for this tips… btw did u prefer using one day per weeks for long term use?
sesame
28 Nov 2010 at 4:29 pmAt first I used this every day but once my teeth was whiter, I use it only once a week. Now, even lesser.
Nilofar
20 Dec 2010 at 5:35 pmhey! dont you think it will affect teeth and gums in the long term?
i would like to try it out but first i want to be sure its safe on long term basis. thanx
sesame
20 Dec 2010 at 9:48 pmIt wouldn’t affect teeth and gums negatively if you don’t use this daily. I started using it daily for about a week or two, then cut down to just once or twice a week. Now, it’s only when I can remember.
Meghan
7 Mar 2011 at 8:10 pmMy mother and i both brush our teeth with baking soda, we cannot use tooth paste bcause it makes us really sick and gives a massive head aches. shes 36 and im 16, since we started brushing out teeth with making soda not only have our teeth whitend but our moods are better and out health is better.every morning i also wash my face with baking soda and befor i shave my legs i always rub baking soda on, i dont get ingrown hairs anymore because of it and my skin is wonderful! i sujest trying it. it really is great and cheap
sesame
7 Mar 2011 at 10:01 pmWow, you and your mom are big fans of baking soda! I agree it’s a great DIY ingredient.
Jazz
27 Sep 2012 at 12:43 am@ Meghan ..hey i wanted to know when u rub baking soda on ur skin before shaving then u rinse out the baking soda n shave or u leave it on n shave? what kind of bakind soda.
SD
13 Apr 2011 at 12:35 amThis does work, the only issue is not overdoing it because this takes enamel off.
PandaRacoonasouras
16 May 2011 at 4:09 amI used it today and it worked FABULOUS! I have used it for 2 week’s on my 7 year old daughter’s yellow teeth and it made her have the most beautiful smile ever! Not only that but I make her brush her teeth 3 times a day.. This was very helping..Thanks A Ton~Taylor
sesame
16 May 2011 at 9:56 amGlad your daughter has got a beautiful smile! But try not to use this too frequently on your daughter now that her teeth are whiter. Maybe once or twice a week and the rest just use normal toothpaste.
Diana
1 Jul 2011 at 2:53 pmI have been brushing my teeth with baking soda for over a year now. All gum disease has gone and my teeth look really healthy.
I read somewhere that toothpaste has glycerine in it and puts a coating on your teeth. It is meant to protect your teeth from bacteria. But what tends to happen is that if there is bacteria trapped under the glyercine you will end up with cavaties.
It can take up to 6 brushings of baking soda to get rid of this glyercine coating.
sesame
1 Jul 2011 at 10:04 pmOh…that’s interesting to know. And you brushed with baking soda daily? I’ve stopped using baking soda for awhile now…only remembers occasionally.
Liam
6 Jul 2011 at 11:40 amI’m thinking this is really a credible replacement to conventional toothpaste.I’m using the toothbrush in water then dipped in the bicarb of soda method.You only realize the real effectiveness when your teeth get to such a state when you can notice the evident difference that different products have.To get technical the Bicarb of soda removes the plaque and that is what you want from a toothpaste plus it attacks tartar(the destructive accumulation of hardened plaque near the gum line) and its antacid properties from partial ingestion are a bonus.So long as you rinse properly after each brushing.It’s antibacterial and you notice that while using it.At the moment I’m brushing after every meal mainly as the dentist explained the my teeth’s present condition and I was determined to do something about it.
sesame
6 Jul 2011 at 10:46 pmI don’t think you want to use this daily…I find it’s not so good for the gums.
Liam
6 Jul 2011 at 12:00 pmIn fact upon further investigation to play it safe I may may stay with conventional toothpaste first brush of the day then bicarb of soda after each meal as conventional toothpaste is supposed to have the teeth enamel strengthening effect.
Vedette
13 Jul 2011 at 10:04 pmBaking soda has worked wonder to my teeth, and not only my teeth but my entire face and my hair. Baking soda is the all in one must have. I love this blog. thanks for sharing!
T
1 Aug 2011 at 5:30 amJust tried this and I (think???) it might have made my teeth whiter. I’m 18, but I think a little of my yellowness comes from coffee. I’m not an 8-cups-a-day kind of girl, but I still drink it almost every day. Crossing my fingers and adding this to my bi-weekly beauty routine!
sesame
1 Aug 2011 at 8:30 amThat’s great…it does help in removing temporary stains.
Jake
9 Oct 2011 at 5:36 amI’d suggest using this with a enamel strengthening tooth paste, then you can use it every time you clean your teeth and not have to worry about your enamel wearing down!!
sesame
9 Oct 2011 at 2:31 pmI see…okay, I’ll keep a lookout. My toothpaste might have that enamel strengthening property.
misty
6 Oct 2012 at 11:19 pmThanks Jake! You have just answered my question. I’d try baking soda, but fearing that baking soda may wear out tooth enamel eventually. Now, I will definitely try baking soda and Sensodyne Pronamel Toothpaste.
Hi, Sesame, Thanks for your blog. Let me know if you have or know a good thread discussing teeth grinding at night ;-). Regards.
Sesame
7 Oct 2012 at 4:03 pmOh teeth grinding? Hmm…I was curious about that one sometime ago cos I had an issue with that when I was younger. I think it’s due to stress?
habienlones
4 Nov 2011 at 8:46 amthis is a great post, i use baking soda at least 3-4 times a week. So far i see a slight difference in my teeth they are gradually getting whiter
Dennis
10 Nov 2011 at 7:12 pmBaking soda for teeth whitening is very effective but we have to consult to our local dentist especially to those who have braces or retainers.
Lou
17 Nov 2011 at 9:06 amI brush my teeth twice a day and i want to try this should do once with normal toothpaste and once with baking soda or for the first few days all baking soda and then go twice a week after the first week or so.
Alexb
27 Nov 2011 at 7:53 amI was just wondering what the defects are of this? And also how many times a week do you do this ? Thanks.
Alexb
27 Nov 2011 at 7:56 amI also have braces …. With this effect anything? And do you leave it on for a certain amount of time- or brush and rince?
irish
12 Dec 2011 at 5:10 pmhow will you know that you have inherit yellow teeth? i do have yellow teeth and Im only 16… maybe becoz before I always drink sodas/softdrinks/juices…and since kid I dont really like brushing my teeth…but now I’m beginning to be conscious about my teeth and Im looking for whitening products that will whiten my teeth….Im trying baking soda..i use it 2-3 times a week… does this really work?
sesame
12 Dec 2011 at 8:42 pmHmm…hard for me to say but if brushing and whitening don’t help, then it must be inherent.
Susan
31 Dec 2011 at 2:10 pmI DO NOT suggest using baking soda AT ALL. Within seconds of brushing with baking soda my toothbrush was soaked in blood, and my gums bled profusely for 2-3 minutes. I brushed normally aside from using baking soda instead of toothpaste, so the baking soda must have caused the bleeding.
sesame
31 Dec 2011 at 8:44 pmIt probably did cos it can be abrasive like I’ve pointed out and your gum might have been pretty sensitive. Even for those who can take this, I wouldn’t recommend daily usage.
L
2 Feb 2013 at 8:54 amwhen gums bleed while toothbrushing it means you got bacteria on them and you havent brush your gums properly before
shazz
2 Jan 2012 at 7:32 pmif i use baking soda everyday for 2 weeks will it have permanet affect??
or will i have to keep using it
sesame
2 Jan 2012 at 8:11 pmIt will last for awhile but after you’ll still get stains on your teeth after drinking or eating so you’ll need to use it once awhile.
alexandre
23 Jan 2012 at 1:02 pmThis is a really nice tip but I was wondering. Does this work on the yellow stains that are permanent on the teeth? Cause i have a friend that has yellow stains on his teeth and he gets embarrassed when he smiles or when he speaks to other people and he brushes his teeth everyday but the stain won’t come off. Please get back at me… I would really appreciate it.
sesame
23 Jan 2012 at 2:14 pmPermanent stains are quite hard to remove with this. Your friend can try but there is no guarantee.
Dave Bean
26 Jan 2012 at 11:02 amI dip the tooth brush in baking soda and then use with a little water in the mouth. Took some getting used to, but now prefer. Here is a link to the abrasion index, if correct, shows baking soda is lower abrasion than any tooth paste. Anyone have other information on this?
Dave Bean
26 Jan 2012 at 11:02 amSorry forgot the abrasion index link:
http://dukeslc.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/toothpaste-abrasion-ratings/
sesame
26 Jan 2012 at 10:53 pmOh? That’s interesting! I get the feel that it’s more abrasive and I do feel it such when I brush.
Monica Mae
27 Jan 2012 at 4:23 amI’ve been using this everyday for about a month but there was never any pain in my gums or anything and it really does work .
sesame
27 Jan 2012 at 10:39 amThat’s good…usually it should cause pain unless you brush too hard but I wanted to err on the side of caution and hence only brush with it once a while now.
Justice
22 Feb 2012 at 1:10 pmThe whole reason for me brushing with baking soda is to do away with flouride contaminated toothpaste. What else can I mix baking soda with for brushing?