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Sunday, February 16, 2014

Does Baking Soda Whiten Teeth? Learn More Here

By Debbie Ruffo


The question many people are asking, "Does baking soda whiten teeth?" may not be so easy to answer. It all depends on what you mean by white teeth. If you want to return your teeth to their natural color, then yes, baking soda can help you do that. But, if the question is whether or not you can achiever whiter than ever teeth, maybe the answer is no. To find out the real answer, you will have to try it for yourself.

Does Baking Soda Whiten Teeth?

Getting to the bottom of this question means one must understand a bit more about how baking soda is made. Science assigns the name sodium bicarbonate to what is commonly known as baking soda. It is produced by bubbling carbon dioxide through sodium carbonate. This chemical process produces crystals of mineral salt, aka, baking soda.

So, how does baking soda whiten teeth, or does it?

The scientific community calls baking soda a weak base, and that means it reacts to acids as well as bases. Bacteria that cause plaque produce an acid that is neutralized by baking soda. Everyone knows that over time plaque destroys tooth enamel.

The chemical structure of baking soda makes it a mild abrasive which is ideal for removing stains from tooth surfaces. This is similar to the way tooth polishing agents, like hydrated silica and dicalcium phosphate work. Stains are simply scrubbed away. Baking soda is different in that it is easily dissolved in water. Because of that, it penetrates into hard to reach places that other abrasives cannot get into.

How else does baking soda whiten teeth?

Baking soda crystals are softer than the dentine and enamel which are the outer layers of teeth. This softness allows them to mechanically scrub stains without scratching teeth. Your smile gets brighter, but your teeth may not be whiter.

Everyone wants whiter teeth, right? Well, does baking soda whiten teeth? The truth is that even though you can get brighter teeth with no discoloration, it simply does nothing to make teeth whiter. If you want brilliantly white teeth, you will have to use a whitening product containing bleach. Nevertheless, when used properly, baking soda is a great addition to any oral care regimen.

Is There Anything Else You Can Do To Whiten Teeth?

The answer to the question, "does baking soda whiten teeth" may have been answered, but there are some things you can do to help it do that. For instance, you can mix up your own teeth cleanser using baking soda, water and just a tiny bit of hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide has whitening power.

The American dental Association does not recommend using baking soda alone to maintain healthy teeth because it does nothing to fight tooth decay and gum disease. It is also important that you add fluoride to your oral hygiene routine to keep enamel strong and fight plaque.

Conclusion

Does baking soda whiten teeth? No, but it can be an effective part of daily oral care. You just need to know how to use it and what other products to use with it.




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