Baking Soda for Teeth: Benefits, Uses and DIY Recipes

Sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, is a fine white powder that is water-soluble and has many uses. You can use it for household cleaning, maintaining your pipes, deodorising, balancing the pH of a mixture, cleaning your vegetables in the kitchen, or helping a cake rise in the oven, softening your laundry, aiding digestion, etc. You can also use it to make personal care products such as deodorants and bath salts, and oral care products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, or whitening treatments.

There are three types of baking soda:  

• pharmaceutical-grade baking soda (found in pharmacies),

• household or technical-grade baking soda.

Here, for oral hygiene, we will focus solely on food-grade baking soda, which is finer, sifted, and purer than its counterpart.

Sodium ions (Na⁺) and bicarbonate ions (HCO₃⁻) are naturally occurring components of the human body. Bicarbonate is the main buffer system in extracellular fluids (plasma and interstitial fluid) and in saliva.

In Europe, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is produced synthetically in several steps using the Solvay process from sodium chloride (NaCl) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3), better known as chalk. This process is sustainable and energy-efficient.

In addition to aiding digestion, regulating perspiration, and caring for your skin, baking soda is also used to treat various conditions and lesions affecting the gums, mouth, and teeth. 

• It can be used to help with bad breath. Its alkaline properties allow it to neutralise acids produced by the breakdown of food debris and sugars left in the mouth after eating. These acids can contribute to bad breath and, over time, may damage tooth enamel. Baking soda may therefore help counteract the acidity of certain foods, such as onions or garlic, as well as more alkaline substances like fish, while helping to preserve the enamel’s calcium content.

• It is also included in the formulation of toothpaste for its abrasive properties and tooth whitening.

Studies have also shown that:

• Baking soda prevents cavity development by eliminating the bacteria responsible for them: tooth decay is the demineralisation of enamel and dentine caused by bacterial acids over time. Baking soda has the ability to neutralise acids. It may also have antibacterial properties.

• It also helps combat gingivitis by massaging the gums with a toothbrush coated in baking soda. Its mechanical and chemical action works on dental deposits and neutralises tartar.

• It is effective against canker sores (mouth ulcers) when used as a mouthwash. Minor mouth sores can also be treated by gargling with a baking soda solution.

Baking soda has two modes of action on teeth: one is chemical and the other is mechanical.

• Its chemical action:

Baking soda helps cleanse the mouth, dissolve food residues, reduce tartar build-up, and rebalance oral pH to help prevent bad breath and the growth of bacteria that may contribute to cavities. It may also help protect enamel and soothe mouth ulcers. In addition, it can help relieve certain oral discomforts and soothe sensitive or irritated gums.

• Its mechanical action:

One of its notable advantages is its ability to gently polish and brighten teeth, helping to reduce surface stains or discolouration caused by coffee, tea, red wine, tobacco, and more, thanks to its mild abrasive polishing action.

It is considered one of the least abrasive polishing agents. This can be explained by its position on the Mohs hardness scale, developed in 1812 by German mineralogist Friedrich Mohs.

It’s quite simple: minerals are classified according to their hardness, and the harder an element is, the more likely it is to scratch others when rubbed against them. Diamond ranks at 10, making it the hardest material and able to scratch all others. Talc, on the other hand, ranks at 1, making it soft and easily crumbled. Now that we understand the Mohs hardness scale, where does baking soda fit in? It ranks at around 2 on this scale, similar to a human fingernail, while tooth enamel has a hardness of around 5. We cannot scratch our teeth with our nails, unless we were to rub them for hours… The same applies to baking soda: when used appropriately, it is considered gentle on teeth.

Tartar is a hard, whitish deposit that forms at the base of the teeth when dental plaque builds up and hardens. Dental plaque is mainly made up of acids, sugars, salivary proteins, bacteria, and their toxins. Its formation depends on saliva composition, oral pH, the balance of bacteria in the mouth, and the presence of food residues. It is one of the main contributing factors in the development of cavities.

Baking soda acts chemically to help remove food residues that may remain after brushing and may help prevent plaque build-up thanks to its bacteriostatic properties. Its alkalising action also helps counter oral acidity and protect the calcium content of tooth enamel. To use baking soda as part of your oral care routine, sprinkle a small amount onto a damp toothbrush and gently brush your teeth for 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse your mouth, then brush your teeth with your usual toothpaste, always using gentle movements. We recommend using this method sparingly, for example, once every 10 days.

While baking soda may help maintain cleaner teeth and reduce surface build-up, it cannot remove established tartar. Only professional scaling performed by a dentist can effectively eliminate hardened tartar deposits.

The ultimate multi-purpose product, baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is used in cosmetics, cooking, household cleaning and gardening alike, etc. It is an alkaline pH adjuster that will help raise the pH of your preparations. Use it in your bath bomb, toothpaste and deodorant formulas, in your cooking recipes as a baking powder, and at home as a laundry whitener, scouring powder, deodoriser and multi-purpose cleaner.

1. As Toothpaste?

Baking soda is a great ingredient for making your homemade toothpaste. Its abrasive action gently cleans the enamel, and its chemical action helps thoroughly clean the mouth, dissolve food residue, prevent tartar buildup, and alkalise saliva to avoid bad breath or oral conditions. However, it cannot replace toothpaste on its own.

You can use it in different ways:

• either before or after your usual toothbrushing by sprinkling it into a little water to achieve a paste-like consistency, then gently brush in small circles over your teeth.

• or sprinkle it directly onto your toothpaste already applied to your toothbrush to combine its benefits with those of the toothpaste.

• use it as an ingredient in a recipe for homemade toothpaste: we invite you to find all our recipes further down in this article.

As a precaution, we recommend using baking soda once every 10 days to enjoy all its benefits without any risk to your tooth enamel or gums.

2. As a Whitening Treatment

Thanks to its gentle abrasive properties, baking soda polishes the enamel and removes surface stains on the teeth caused by consuming certain staining foods like coffee, tea, red wine, nicotine, and more. This can restore whiteness and shine to your teeth.

However, it cannot lighten the natural shade of your tooth enamel, which is unique to each person and varies based on your genetic makeup.

Please also note that old, deeply embedded stains or yellowing caused by medication cannot be removed with baking soda. For this, we recommend consulting your dentist.

We recommend two ways to use baking soda for teeth whitening:

• Add baking soda directly to your regular toothpaste on your toothbrush and gently brush your teeth for 3 to 5 minutes using small circular motions.

• Or make a paste by mixing equal parts baking soda and water. Then apply this paste to your teeth and let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Then brush your teeth as usual.

As a precaution, we recommend using baking soda on your teeth only once every 10 days. Its abrasive properties can irritate your gums.

3. As a Mouthwash

Baking soda can also be used to make mouthwashes to help combat bad breath, soothe mouth ulcers and minor oral injuries, or rebalance the mouth’s pH in cases of acidic saliva. Acidic saliva may contribute to dry mouth, the growth of bacteria associated with cavities, bad breath, enamel demineralisation, tooth sensitivity, or tartar build-up. Thanks to its alkalising properties, baking soda helps neutralise excess acidity.

To make a baking soda mouthwash, dilute one teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of warm or cool water and use it as a mouth rinse or gargle. If desired, you can add a drop of Clove essential oil to help soothe mouth ulcers, Peppermint essential oil for a refreshing sensation, or a pinch of fine salt to help protect enamel from tartar build-up. Mouth rinses can be used several times a week.

However, if you experience significant or persistent oral acidity, we recommend seeking advice from a healthcare professional.

Discover our dedicated guide, “How to Make Your Own Natural Toothpaste at Home”, featuring our selection of the best natural ingredients, including baking soda, and exploring their properties.

Discover Our Aroma-Zone DIY Recipes Made with Baking Soda:

• Our natural "anti-plaque" toothpaste powder made with white clay, baking soda, table salt, zinc (a dental active ingredient), and peppermint essential oil

• Our solid peppermint mouthwash made with baking soda, dental actives, peppermint essential oil, and bamboo sap powder

• Our natural whitening toothpaste powder made with baking soda, vegetable charcoal, and coconut oil

• Our natural toothpaste powder for intense remineralisation made with clay, baking soda, bamboo sap powder, and enamel-repairing dental active ingredient

We must keep in mind that baking soda is still an abrasive agent, even though it is gentle.

As a precaution, we recommend spacing out your uses by about 10 days.

If used too often or too vigorously, baking soda can irritate the gums and damage the enamel.

The use of baking soda on teeth is not recommended:

• people with sensitive teeth or gums

• people wearing braces or retainers (risk of softening the adhesive)

• children, as a precaution, to avoid swallowing the mixture

We advise against combining baking soda with hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide solution), even though this mixture is often recommended for teeth whitening. The strong action of this combination may damage tooth enamel. The same applies to mixing baking soda with lemon juice, which could weaken enamel and contribute to its demineralisation. If in doubt, seek advice from your dentist.

Always consult your dentist if you have any doubts.

In your daily routine, you can adopt small habits to maintain good oral hygiene:

• Brush your teeth gently after each meal for at least 3 minutes.

• Use a straw when drinking staining beverages (tea, soft drinks, juices, etc.) and avoid smoking.

• Remember to replace your toothbrush regularly.

• Use dental floss or interdental brushes.

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle to support good oral health.

• Visit your dentist at least once a year.

• Consider the oil-pulling method, inspired by Ayurveda, to maintain a healthy mouth

“For brushing my teeth, preventing underarm odours before a big workout, or in wardrobes to help with moisture, it’s really practical and effective.”

“Great product. Large size, affordable price.

I use it to whiten my teeth. I’m completely satisfied.”

Stéphanie Catrysse - Naturopath (FENA-certified), well-being massage and lymphatic drainage practitioner and personal development consultant.

She takes a holistic approach to health and is passionate about alternative medicine.