Brushing teeth with baking soda - advantages and disadvantages

Cleaning teeth with soda is a popular and affordable procedure for preventing inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity, the formation of tartar with the effect of cleaning and whitening teeth.

The popularity of brushing teeth with soda is associated with achieving the desired result even after one use.

The positive aspects of brushing your teeth with soda:

• affordability,
• achieving the desired result in a short time,
• a procedure that can be done at home,
• also, using a soda solution in the form of rinses has an antiseptic effect on stomatitis and inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity (a weak soda solution - one teaspoon per glass of warm water).

It is not recommended to use soda for cleaning and whitening teeth more than once a week. It is best to use soda for cleaning teeth once a month. Long-term and frequent use of soda has a negative effect on the condition of tooth enamel and the mucous membrane of the oral cavity.

Disadvantages of brushing teeth with soda:

• soda can have an irritating effect on the oral mucosa,
• it is possible to develop an allergic reaction to soda in the form of a rash in and around the mouth,
• soda has a superficial and short-term effect,
• contributes to the thinning of enamel, which increases the sensitivity of teeth to chemical and thermal irritants (cold, hot, acidic),
• bleeding gums may occur.

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Cleaning teeth with baking soda

Cleaning teeth with baking soda at home is carried out using a saturated soda solution or in its pure form (powder). A saturated soda solution is considered ready for use when the next portion of soda no longer dissolves in water. To clean teeth with such a solution, a toothbrush, a cotton swab or gauze are suitable, which are moistened in the prepared solution and brush the teeth with gentle movements.

In the case where soda is used in powder form, the brush or gauze used to clean the teeth should be soaked in water. Clean the spaces between the teeth with a toothbrush on the outside and inside, paying special attention to the molars (deeper ones), since that is where the most plaque accumulates. This type of teeth cleaning:

• tooth-preserving, because it neutralizes all the acid found in the interdental spaces and removes plaque,
• whitening, because the spaces between teeth are cleaned.

To eliminate the unpleasant taste of soda, you can mix it with toothpaste.

How does soda work? Soda is a weak alkali, and plaque on teeth contains acid, and alkali is simply necessary to neutralize this acid. Also, solid grains of soda, due to their abrasive properties, mechanically clean plaque from the surface of the tooth along with a small layer of enamel. Due to this, the effect of cleaning and whitening teeth is achieved. But you should know that some people have a yellowish tint to their teeth by nature, and you should not try to achieve whiteness with soda by frequent use.

The use of soda for brushing teeth is contraindicated:

• in cases of weak and sensitive tooth enamel to chemical and thermal irritants,
• children,
• for allergic reactions to soda.

Thus, the wise use of soda for brushing your teeth will provide you not only with a beautiful smile, but will also prevent unwanted consequences from using soda.

Cleaning teeth with soda and peroxide

Cleaning teeth with soda and peroxide is more aggressive than cleaning teeth with these products separately, since there is a double effect - the abrasive, alkaline effect of soda and the oxidizing effect of hydrogen peroxide.

• To prepare a mixture for cleaning teeth, mix three percent hydrogen peroxide with soda until it becomes a paste. The resulting mixture is carefully applied to the surface of the teeth with an ear (cotton) swab, avoiding the gums. Hold for several minutes, rinse the mouth with water and brush the teeth with a toothpaste containing fluoride. It is not recommended to apply such a mixture with a toothbrush, since this is a very aggressive whitening and impact on the mucous membrane of the gums.
• You can make a paste with lemon: mix half a teaspoon of soda with hydrogen peroxide (ten to twenty drops) and add lemon (a couple of drops). Apply the prepared paste to the teeth and gums with a cotton swab for a few minutes, then remove with a dry cotton wool pad. Do not rinse your mouth with anything, drink or eat for fifteen minutes.

Features of using soda and peroxide for cleaning teeth.

• Do not use in children.
• It is not recommended to use this mixture if there are large ulcers and wounds in the oral cavity.
• Do not use hydrogen peroxide more than 3%, as high concentrations can cause burns.
• Before using such a mixture, it is advisable to conduct a skin test to detect a possible allergic reaction.
• It is better to use fresh hydrogen peroxide, since long-term storage, especially in a non-hermetically sealed bottle, is accompanied by a decrease in its active properties.
• If discomfort, redness or burning occurs, the procedure should be stopped immediately and the mouth rinsed with cool water.

Reviews of cleaning teeth with soda

Reviews of teeth cleaning with soda are varied. In the absence of contraindications, correct technique of teeth cleaning and the procedure is performed once a month (but not more than once a week) positive reviews are noted - teeth are whitened, enamel is not damaged and a beautiful sparkling smile is obtained. If contraindications are not taken into account, teeth cleaning with soda is often carried out (2 or more times a week), then the enamel and gums are significantly damaged, which is accompanied by negative reviews and:

• the occurrence of inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity,
• the appearance of wounds, ulcers and allergic diseases,
• bleeding gums,
• sensitivity of teeth to irritants – chemical and thermal – arises or worsens.

Reasonable and correct use of soda for brushing teeth will give you health and a beautiful smile.