How to Whiten Teeth Instantly with Baking Soda (Correct Procedure)

Your smile can reveal a lot about your personality. While unnaturally white and sparkling teeth may be a little unnerving, a healthy white smile gives off an affable impression and inviting signal.

So how to go about whitening your teeth instantly without resorting to expensive dental bleaching sessions that may be harmful in the long run? Read on to find out.

Regular consumption of dark liquids like red wine, beer, black tea, coffee, and colas is the most obvious culprit responsible for yellowing and staining of the teeth. If it’s dark in color, it’s bound to stain those pearly whites of yours. Smoking is another major cause of stained teeth.

Baking soda, a mild abrasive agent, is an effective teeth-whitening remedy if used responsibly. It works best for surface stains and plaque removal and also prevents discoloration.

Its periodic use also supports good oral hygiene, as it can neutralize bacterial acids in the mouth that often lead to tooth decay and gum problems.

Irresponsible use of teeth-whitening practices almost always leads to dental problems, with enamel erosion being the most prominent. But when baking soda remedies are used at regular, spaced out intervals in tandem with regular oral care, it can produce admirable results.

Natural Teeth-Whitening Methods Using Baking Soda

Forgoing your regular toothpaste in favor of any of the given remedies is not advisable as baking soda doesn’t contain fluoride, which is the main constituent of most dental pastes.

Fluoride is instrumental in maintaining the health and strength of your teeth as well as preventing cavities.

Now that you know the risks involved and the precautions that you need to heed, take a look at five effective and inexpensive baking soda remedies to whiten your teeth and get ready to flaunt that beatific smile!

Method 1: Use Baking Soda with Water

Baking soda dentifrice formulations have been popular in teeth-whitening and stain removal. (1) One of the simplest ways to use baking soda for teeth whitening at home is to use a baking soda and water paste.

This one-ingredient method is fast and easy to put together, and you can easily make use of tap water for this.

Step 1. Combine the ingredients to make a paste

• Put 1 tablespoon baking soda and enough water to make a paste.
• Mix the ingredients well to make a smooth and runny paste.

Step 2. Brush your teeth with simple baking soda paste

• Put the baking soda paste on your toothbrush and carefully brush your teeth with it for about 2 minutes.
• Rinse your mouth completely to remove any traces of baking soda and see your teeth whiten instantly.
• Repeat this method once a week for a few months to achieve good results.

Method 2: Use Baking Soda with Toothpaste

You can give an extra kick to your regular toothpaste by adding baking soda to it. This is one of the safest options for teeth whitening. (2)

The fluoride present in toothpaste protects the teeth from cavities and helps strengthen the tooth enamel. The added mild abrasion of baking soda will help remove stains. For best results, use a white paste instead of fancy gels.

Things you’ll need:

• Baking soda (mild abrasive) - 1 tablespoon
• Toothpaste (prevents cavity) - 2 tablespoons

Step 1. Combine the ingredients to make a paste

• Put a little baking soda in a small bowl.
• Add twice the amount of any generic white toothpaste.
• Mix the two ingredients completely to make a smooth paste.

Step 2. Brush your teeth with baking soda toothpaste

• Put the baking soda and toothpaste mix on your toothbrush and brush your teeth with it for about 2 minutes.
• Rinse your mouth completely with plain water to observe instant change in the color of your teeth.
• Repeat once or twice a week for a few months to observe noticeable changes.

Method 3: Use Baking Soda with Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent that’s safe to use for teeth whitening. It is an active agent in most teeth-whitening products. Hydrogen peroxide also helps sanitize the mouth by killing harmful bacteria.

Combining hydrogen peroxide with baking soda releases free radicals that help break up the stain molecules on the surface of the teeth. The stains can then be easily brushed away. (3)

Things you’ll need:

• Baking soda (prevents discoloration) - 1 tablespoon
• 3% Hydrogen peroxide (bleaching agent), to make a paste

Step 1. Combine the ingredients to make a paste

• Put 1 tablespoon baking soda in a small bowl.
• Pour 3% hydrogen peroxide enough to make a paste.
• Mix the ingredients completely to make a smooth paste.

Step 2. Brush your teeth with baking soda-hydrogen peroxide paste

• Put the paste on your toothbrush and brush your teeth with it for about 2 minutes.
• Rinse your mouth with plenty of water and observe your teeth go white at one go.
• Repeat this activity twice a week for 8 to 10 weeks to get good results.

Method 4: Use Baking Soda with Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has been recognized recently for its benefits regarding oral health. (4) It contains lauric acid, an agent that breaks down harmful bacteria in the mouth, thus improving oral health.

When combined with baking soda, it makes for a healthy and safe teeth-whitening recipe that takes all-around care of your oral health.

Things you’ll need:

• Baking soda (natural cleaning agent) - 1 tablespoon
• Coconut oil (improves oral health) - 1 tablespoon

Step 1. Combine the ingredients to make a paste

• Put some baking soda in a bowl and mix in an equal amount of coconut oil.
• You can melt the coconut oil in the microwave before using it in the recipe, but this is usually an extra hassle as the warmth of your mouth is enough to melt the oil.

Step 2. Brush your teeth with baking soda-coconut oil paste

• Put a little of the paste on your toothbrush and brush with it for about 2 minutes to whiten your teeth instantly.
• Rinse your mouth with plenty of warm water to completely remove the baking soda. If a little coconut oil remains in your mouth, it’s not harmful.
• Repeat the activity 2 or 3 times a week for a few months.

Method 5: Use Baking Soda with Strawberries and Salt

Although strawberries boast a bright red color, the ascorbic acid present in them acts as a good bleaching agent for teeth whitening. When you combine them with baking soda and a pinch of salt, it makes for an effective teeth-whitening recipe.

Just as with lemon juice, you need to take some precautions with this method. Limit the frequency of use to twice a month to protect your gums and tooth enamel.

A 2015 review published in Operative Dentistry states that a mix of baking soda and strawberry was effectively used as a whitening agent. However, it was the least effective among other conventional methods. (5)

Things you’ll need:

• Baking soda (cleansing agent) – 1 tablespoon
• Strawberries, large (bleaching agent) – 2 or 3
• A pinch of salt

Step 1. Mash the strawberries

• Mash 2 or 3 large strawberries with a fork.

Step 2. Mix in baking soda and salt

• Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to it and mix thoroughly.
• Add in a pinch of salt and mix it again.
• Keeping in mind the ratio, you can make the required amount of this strawberry paste.

Step 3. Brush your teeth with baking soda and strawberry-salt paste

• Put the strawberry paste on your toothbrush and brush your teeth with it for instant results.
• Rinse your mouth thoroughly with plain water to remove all the traces of strawberry and baking soda.
• Repeat this activity every two weeks for a few months.

Tips to whiten your teeth with baking soda

• If you have sensitive teeth, loose teeth, or bleeding gums, consult your dentist before using baking soda to whiten your teeth.
• Do not forgo your regular oral hygiene in favor of teeth-whitening techniques. Always brush your teeth with your regular toothpaste before bedtime and after waking up in the morning.
• Make the pastes as smooth as possible. Gritty pastes can damage tooth enamel.
• Refrain from brushing the pastes for more than 2 minutes at a time, and avoid harsh scrubbing to protect your gums and enamel from harm.
• Use these baking soda pastes not more than 2 or 3 times a week, or less often where noted above. Excessive use can lead to erosion of tooth enamel and cause tooth sensitivity.
• Include strawberries, apples, raw carrots, and celery in your diet to help keep your teeth clean naturally.

Resources:

1. Li Y. Stain removal and whitening by baking soda dentifrice: A review of the literature. Journal of American Dental Association. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29056186. Published November 2017.
2. Ciancio SG. Baking soda dentifrices and oral health. The Journal of the American Dental Association. https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(17)30822-X/fulltext. Published November 2017.
3. Ahrari F, Hasanzadeh N, et. al. Effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate combined with hydrogen ... International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5347279/. Published March 2017.
4. Nagilla J, Kulkarni S. Comparative Evaluation of Antiplaque Efficacy of Coconut Oil Pulling and a Placebo, Among Dental College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research. https://jcdr.net/article_fulltext.asp?issn=0973-709x&year=2017&volume=11&issue=9&page=ZC08&issn=0973-709x&id=10563. Published September 2017.
5. Kwon SR, Meharry M, Oyoyo U, Li Y. Efficacy of do-it-yourself whitening as compared to conventional tooth whitening modalities: an in vitro study. Operative Dentistry. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25279797. Published 2015.

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