Here’s where I have to put on my pretend lab coat and tell you the bad news. Baking soda is a reckless teenager with a sledgehammer. It’s too abrasive for daily use on your delicate tooth enamel—the shiny armor that protects your teeth.
Studies have shown that while toothpaste has a standard “abrasivity” level (called RDA), pure baking soda is off the charts. Using it every day is like sanding down a priceless antique table with brick dust. You’ll get the stain off, but you’ll also sand down the legs.
And let’s not forget the flavor—or lack thereof. Brushing with baking soda tastes like licking a salty, chalky rock from the bottom of the ocean. It’s the culinary equivalent of a grey, flavorless cloud.
Baking Soda Teeth Before And After Brushing Your Teeth With Baking
But Does It Actually Whiten? (The Surprising Truth)
Yes, it can whiten, but here’s the sneaky part. It doesn’t actually bleach your teeth like hydrogen peroxide. It just scrubs off the dirt that was making them look yellow. It’s like taking a coat of mud off a white car—you didn’t paint the car, you just washed it.
However, there’s a hilarious and terrifying risk. If you scrub too hard, you can expose the dentin layer underneath your enamel, which is naturally yellow. You’ll actually make your teeth look darker and more sensitive to boot. Congratulations, you played yourself.
Also, baking soda doesn’t contain fluoride, the magical mineral that fights cavities. Without fluoride, you’re basically brushing your teeth with a gritty rock and calling it dental care. It’s like fighting a fire with a squirt gun and a polite suggestion.
