Can I use baking soda instead of toothpaste?

Everyone aspires to have teeth that are radiant, healthy, and aligned. A captivating smile and beautiful, pearly white teeth are a match made in heaven. But, it is no easy feat to take proper care of our overall oral health. It requires dedication and effort to maintain and manage our dental routine. Since childhood, we have been taught that regular brushing is the key to keep teeth happy and healthy. The toothbrush and toothpaste have become such an ingrained part of our daily lives that we hardly extend a second thought towards them. But, the pressing question is, do we need toothpaste to brush our teeth or are we good to go with using certain natural ingredients? Well, one kitchen ingredient that is revolutionizing the realm of alternate dentistry is baking soda. So, let’s find out if baking soda is suitable for us and brush our teeth using it?

Baking soda – a viable alternative to toothpaste?

Baking soda or Sodium bicarbonate is a multi-purpose kitchen ingredient that is very fine in texture and white in color. Studies reveal that baking soda can be used as an alternative to toothpaste as it has antibacterial, whitening, and cleaning properties. Baking soda is an inexpensive and readily available teeth cleanser for people who want to avoid toothpaste fluoride. It is mildly abrasive and can lighten extrinsic teeth stains and also scrub away dental plaque. But, we must remember that baking soda is devoid of any fluoride that hence, ineffective in preventing cavities. 

Advantages of brushing teeth using baking soda

1. It is a proven assertion that baking soda is an effective tooth-cleaning agent. When sodium bicarbonate or baking soda comes in contact with water, it transforms into an alkaline solution that releases free radicals. These free radicals facilitate teeth whitening.
2. Baking soda is mildly abrasive and can brush away external teeth stains like those formed due to eating habits and so forth.
3. An astounding advantage of using baking soda to brush teeth is that it can calm mouth ulcers. The alkaline solution of baking soda and water neutralizes the acidic nature of ulcers and relieves pain.
4. Baking soda is grainy and abrasive. Hence, it can disrupt the biofilm of plaque that attaches to the surface of the teeth. Therefore, baking soda assists in preventing teeth and gum damage.
5. A 2017 study revealed that rinsing the mouth with a solution of water and baking soda increases the Ph level in our mouths, making them more acidic. Hence, baking soda can curtail the multiplication of bacteria in our mouths.

Things to keep in mind before using baking soda to brush teeth

But, before hopping on to using this au natural ingredient for immaculate teeth and gums, we must remember certain things:

1. Baking soda, on its own, tastes foul and leaves a grainy sensation in the mouth. The unappealing feel and taste of the product can discourage many people from using it regularly to brush teeth. 
2. The whitening effects of baking soda are less dramatic because it is mildly abrasive.
3. The lack of fluoride in plain baking soda can be significantly detrimental as fluoride is essential to keep the enamel strong and healthy.

Thus, the optimal way to include baking soda in our dental hygiene regimen is to use toothpaste with an ample concentration of baking soda and other valuable ingredients like peppermint.

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