Baking Soda Toothpaste

Mention some of the most versatile kitchen items and you really cannot ignore baking soda. It is applicable for a number of reasons, starting from cooking to cleaning and pest control. One such varied use of baking soda or sodium bicarbonate, is making a homemade toothpaste out of it and other commonly available ingredients.

Or, you can consider using it directly without making a toothpaste. Either way, the abrasive nature of this compound is effective to clean and whiten teeth.

Baking soda toothpaste is an ultimate option for people who want to ensure healthy teeth, and at the same time, save money. The most notable benefit of this product is that it is free of harmful chemicals.

Many of the commercially sold toothpastes are formulated with strong chemicals to give a whitening effect to the teeth. However, such products may result in long-term side effects. Hence, homemade baking soda toothpaste is a good option with minimal adverse effects.

Being a naturally occurring compound, baking soda is safe for cleaning the teeth to a certain extent. It has the property of neutralizing agents that are responsible for causing discoloration and foul odors.

This makes it an ideal ingredient for teeth bleaching and cleaning stains. While using it as a toothpaste, it cleans the corners of the teeth and help in preventing plaque formation.

The abrasiveness of this formulation is relatively mild as compared to toothpastes containing silica. In other words, it causes little damage to tooth enamel than commercially sold products.

As mentioned already, brushing the teeth with baking soda alone is also an option. However, making a toothpaste is a better alternative, whereby, you can use other ingredients that are proven to have positive effects on the teeth.

Taking this into consideration, the recipe can be modified according to personal choice. The only issue is using appropriate amounts of the ingredients to make a consistently thick paste, and more importantly, to minimize adverse results.

This is made by using specific amounts of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and peppermint oil. You can combine 4 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of dilute hydrogen peroxide (3 percent concentration), and 4 drops of peppermint oil.

This will give a peppermint flavored baking soda dentifrice. If desired, you can add rinds of lemon skin to impart a lemon fragrance. Likewise, you can add other useful ingredients like table salt (in small amounts), glycerin, cinnamon, and wintergreen oil. After making the toothpaste, fill it in a refillable plastic squeeze bottle.

Note that this is a good alternative for occasional use. This is because, in the long run, the abrasiveness of baking soda can lead to bleaching and wearing of tooth enamel, which over time will make the teeth susceptible to cavities. To be more precise, the side effects may occur when used for a prolonged period.