Whitening Teeth With Baking Soda - Teeth Whitening at Home

Having white teeth can brighten your smile and improve your confidence. Luckily, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on products or professional treatments to whiten your teeth. You can whiten them at home with the help of baking soda.

Quick Summary

To whiten your teeth with baking soda, mix ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of baking soda with a few drops of lemon juice or water. Then, spread the mixture over your teeth using your finger or a toothbrush. Let it sit on your teeth for 2 minutes and then brush your teeth like you normally would. Rinse the baking soda out of your mouth and you’re finished! Repeat every other day for the best results. To learn how to add hydrogen peroxide to the mixture to get even whiter teeth, keep reading!

1. Basic Method

1. Mix the baking soda with water or lemon (they both work fine). In a small cup, mix half a teaspoon of baking soda with a few drops of either water or lemon. Be sure it is a paste, this way it will be easier to apply. For applying the paste to your teeth you can use a toothbrush or just your fingers. If it is a bad stain you want to remove, it’s recommended you apply the paste directly to the stain and let it set for about two minutes. Just like with doing the dishes, some stains need a little extra scrubbing. This can also be the case with the stain on your teeth, use a toothbrush or your fingernails to scratch away that last bit of dirt.

• For a better result you can dry the tooth surface with a gauze before applying the paste.
• If you want an overall whitening effect, dip your toothbrush into the cup, to cover the bristles with the baking soda paste and start brushing.
• Alternatively, you can dip a wet toothbrush directly into some baking soda, and the powder will attach itself to the bristles; however, the taste of the baking soda will be very strong if you use this method.

2. Brush your teeth for one to two minutes. Brush your teeth as you normally would, but really concentrate on getting the brush into all the cracks and crevices. Don’t brush your teeth for any longer than two minutes, as baking soda is a mild abrasive and may begin to erode the enamel on your teeth. Ensure that no sideways destructive brushing occurs, purely up/down (like the type of brushing you might see in the movies).

• Make sure you are using a soft toothbrush and low brushing forces.
• Be aware that the taste of baking soda is not particularly pleasant!

3. Rinse. Spit out the baking soda and rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash. Give your toothbrush a thorough rinse as well.
4. Repeat every other day. You should repeat the process of brushing your teeth with baking soda every other day for one or two weeks. You will notice a slight difference in the whiteness of your teeth after just a few days, and a substantial difference after a couple of weeks.

• After a couple of weeks of brushing with baking soda every second day, you should cut back to doing it just once or twice a week. This is because the abrasive properties of the baking soda may damage the enamel on your teeth if used too frequently.
• Be aware that brushing your teeth with baking soda should not replace brushing your teeth with regular toothpaste. Regular brushing will help to fight cavities, plaque build-up, gum disease, and keep your breath fresh.
• Before starting the whitening with baking soda, check with your dentist if your teeth are healthy enough to do this. Some patients may have defects of enamel mineralization, which contraindicates this treatment due to an increased abrasive effect.

2. Alternative Methods

1. Mix the baking soda with hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is another great household product that can be used to effectively whiten teeth. Simply mix half a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide with a teaspoon of baking soda into a paste that resembles the consistency of toothpaste. Brush your teeth with this mixture, then let it sit on your teeth for a minute or two. Rinse off with water or mouthwash

• Hydrogen peroxide can be found at most drugstores and is usually sold in a brown opaque bottle to prevent the hydrogen peroxide from reacting with light. Make sure you have a 3% solution, which is safe to use orally.
• Hydrogen peroxide also makes an effective antibacterial mouthwash. Dilute hydrogen peroxide with an equal amount of water.

2. Mix the baking soda with lemon or lime juice. Baking soda can also be mixed with fresh lemon or lime juice, as the citric acid in these fruits is an effective bleaching agent. Simply mix half a teaspoon of baking soda with half a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice. Brush this mixture onto your teeth using a toothbrush and leave to sit for about a minute before rinsing thoroughly.

• Be aware that most dentists do not recommend this method, as the citric acid in the juice is corrosive and will damage teeth.

Mix the baking soda with toothpaste. You can mix a little baking soda with your regular toothpaste to get the whitening benefits of the baking soda, combined with the strengthening and protective properties of fluoride toothpaste. Simply place the regular amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush, sprinkle some baking soda on top, then brush as normal.