You can achieve a healthy and snow-white smile not only with the help of modern toothpastes. Common home remedies, such as baking soda, contain all the substances necessary for healthy teeth. Should I use baking soda for cleaning? And how should this be done correctly? The answer is in this article.
Sodium bicarbonate has been used as tooth powder since ancient times. It not only helps to restore a snow-white smile, but also strengthens the enamel and also eliminates caries. This method of brushing teeth is very popular because it does not require much time and large investments. Even children can use sodium bicarbonate, since it does not contain chemical components, which means it will not harm the body.
Benefits and harms
Baking soda is one of the most effective whitening agents that does not contain chemical components. The problem of yellow enamel is not only faced by smokers. Poor nutrition, stomach problems, excess consumption of coffee and tea, and lack of proper oral hygiene lead to unpleasant yellow discoloration. Baking soda powder crystals effectively remove plaque and also get rid of dirt.
It is also an antiseptic, so it is used for diseases of the oral cavity. Soda solution is an antifungal drug. You can rinse your mouth with this mixture without harm to the body.
Bad breath is another common problem that baking soda can help combat. Since oral bacteria are often the cause of unpleasant odor, brushing your teeth with baking soda and rinsing with a solution will help get rid of the very cause of the unpleasant odor.
A few more advantages:
- availability. The powder is inexpensive and is found in every home;
- quick result. Becomes noticeable after two cleanings;
- no harm to the body.
Since soda is a natural product, it does not contain artificial additives, colors, or flavors. Therefore, even children can use it.
Why does baking soda bleach
When people talk about the teeth whitening procedure with soda, they mean using baking soda powder. It consists of small snow-white crystals, has almost no smell, and has a characteristic “soapy” taste. It comes into contact with acids - everyone has more than once observed how the powder foams if it is “quenched” with vinegar or lemon juice.
How does baking soda affect teeth, why do they become whiter and do they become whiter at all? In fact, this substance cannot whiten yellowed tooth enamel. It simply peels off the top layer, acting as an abrasive, exposing the lower, lighter one. Therefore, if a person has naturally yellowish teeth, they will not become whiter with its help.
But it is quite capable of removing tartar, destroying bacteria, and thereby eliminating bad breath, and this is already good. In reasonable doses and when used correctly, it is an excellent antiseptic that promotes the healing of small ulcers, wounds and abrasions in the mouth, sore gums, and small pustules.
Contraindications
Unfortunately, brushing your teeth with soda powder is not suitable for everyone; in the following cases, it is wiser to avoid it:
- allergic reactions, as well as individual intolerance of the body;
- sensitive and weak enamel, unstable to mechanical and chemical influences. In this case, brushing your teeth will only make the problem worse;
- the presence of acute inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. Even if the doctor has approved rinsing with soda, it is better to avoid direct cleaning. This is especially true for irritated gums, as well as injuries and small wounds;
- the presence of brackets, dental retainers and other instruments attached with glue. Soda destroys the glue and loosens the fasteners.
What pastes are best to use for cleaning?
Conventionally, pastes can be divided into two categories:
- Soft. Such products contain mainly urea and organic acids, but they contain few abrasive substances. They are quite expensive, but are good for caring for sensitive teeth and other surfaces.
- Abrasive. The composition contains calcium phosphates, baking soda, aluminum oxide, carbonates and other substances with grinding properties. Teeth care products are designed for whitening and do a good job of treating and preventing hard tartar, as well as cleaning stains. However, it is best not to use them on any sensitive surfaces to avoid microscopic scratches.
A video about how to clean an iron with toothpaste recommends that when choosing a product, you should follow the same principle as when purchasing an oral care product. If the base of the heating device is metal or ceramic, it is permissible to use inexpensive abrasives; they will help deal with dirt. But to clean the Teflon platform, you should purchase only gentle varieties with urea and acids. Otherwise, damage will remain on the surface.
Attention! Soft pastes without abrasives and special products for cleaning irons are similar in composition. But the former emit fewer harmful substances when heated.
From the assortment presented in stores, several brands are best suited for household appliances.
Rembrandt Plus
The American product is designed for gentle whitening and removal of plaque and tartar. It contains monofluorophosphate and carbamide peroxide, which do not have an abrasive effect. The disadvantages include the high cost - around 400 rubles.
Rembrandt Plus is suitable for cleaning units with Teflon soles
SPLAT Extreme White
A special domestic paste contains carbamide peroxide and silicon, as well as sodium fluoride. It is intended for sensitive oral cavity, so it can be used to clean irons with Teflon-coated soles; it will not leave scratches on their surface.
You can buy SPLAT for a price starting from 150 rubles
ROCS PRO
Another composition from the expensive category has a soft consistency and does not include coarse abrasives. The removal of plaque and tartar is achieved due to the presence of calcium glycerophosphate and carbamide peroxide. The product can be used to clean the soleplate of any iron; there will be no scratches on the platform, and dirt will come off quickly.
ROCS PRO price starts from 290 rubles
Cedar balm
The Russian product belongs to the abrasive category and contains calcium carbonate. It is not suitable for devices with a Teflon surface, but you can wash the iron with toothpaste if it has a metal sole.
The cost of Cedar Balsam starts from 70 rubles
New Fluorodent
The paste contains abrasive particles - sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate. In oral care it is used for whitening purposes. When cleaning heating appliances, it effectively removes lime deposits and old fumes from steel and ceramic soles.
The price of New Fluorodent paste starts from 30 rubles
How to brush your teeth correctly
To prevent cleaning from being harmful, you need to approach this issue wisely. If you follow the recommendations below, your enamel will be bright and your teeth will be healthy:
- Cleaning and whitening should be done no more than once a week. Doctors strictly prohibit cleaning every day - the load on the enamel is too high. That is why it is better to combine baking soda with other, traditional types of teeth cleaning. Then the effect will be more noticeable, and there will be no harm;
- do not use a toothbrush. It is advisable to apply the composition or powder with your fingers or a cotton swab. Do not press or rub the mixture too hard. The abrasive effect will lead to rapid destruction of the enamel;
- In parallel with soda, it is necessary to use toothpastes with a high fluoride content. They will help restore damaged enamel;
- If the tooth has become too sensitive, it is better to avoid baking soda. Perhaps the enamel is already severely damaged;
- after the procedure, it is better to refrain from eating too hot or cold food for 1-2 hours;
- Before the procedure, it is recommended to eat more nuts, dairy products, and unsweetened fruits.
Basic cleaning methods are described below.
- Powder. The easiest and most affordable option. The effect becomes noticeable after the first use. You need to apply a little soda powder on your finger or a piece of cotton wool, soak it a little with water and carefully pass over the surface of the enamel. Disadvantages: strong abrasive effect and high probability of damaging gums. You need to act extremely carefully.
- Solution. Dissolve potassium bicarbonate in a glass of boiled water until completely dissolved. You can rinse your mouth with this mixture daily. It is better to prepare a new solution each time.
- Paste. Any toothpaste will become a little healthier if you add a pinch of soda to it. It is better if the paste contains fluorine - then the abrasive effect of the powder is neutralized.
Brushing your teeth with baking soda
Teeth whitening with sodium bicarbonate is the simplest, most affordable and very common way to make teeth enamel 1-2 shades lighter.
Before carrying out the procedure, you must consult with your dentist. To make sure your teeth are healthy and brushing will do more good than harm.
As a rule, before bleaching with soda, a preparatory stage is necessary (3-4 weeks in advance). It consists of strengthening tooth enamel by consuming large amounts of foods containing calcium and fluoride.
Products rich in calcium include processed cheeses, feta cheese, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, and pistachios. And also cottage cheese, sour cream, cream, garlic, beans, peas, oatmeal, mustard, barley.
It is also recommended to take vitamins to strengthen your teeth and immune system.
There are several ways to apply baking soda to your teeth. For example, you can prepare a soda paste.
You can enhance the effectiveness of baking soda using hydrogen peroxide . But it can only be used with 100 percent healthy teeth, without any carious formations. When using hydrogen peroxide, be sure to keep an eye on the time.
Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda
The entire procedure should not last more than 1 minute , since exceeding the time can begin to destroy the enamel and lead to increased sensitivity of the teeth.
Another way to enhance the effect of baking soda is to add lemon juice. In this case, the duration should also not exceed 1 minute.
The procedure itself is quite simple:
- you need to apply baking soda to a toothbrush or cloth swab;
- brush your teeth;
- Rinse your mouth well.
Reviews from doctors
Experts do not prohibit brushing your teeth with soda, but they advise doing it extremely carefully. This method should not be abused - there will be much less benefit from it, and more harm. It is not recommended to use soda as a tooth powder if there is inflammation in the mouth. You need to work with soda powder extremely carefully so as not to damage the enamel and gums.
If the patient already suffers from increased sensitivity of the enamel, it is worth consulting with a dentist. Perhaps the method of brushing your teeth with soda will not work, as it will greatly aggravate the situation.
At the slightest sign of allergy, you must stop cleaning immediately.
In general, doctors consider the technique to be quite harmless. A natural product without added chemical components is much better than modern toothpastes with many additives. The main thing is to follow the rules of use.
In this video, Elena Malysheva talks about the features of teeth whitening:
Read more: Teeth whitening with soda.
Instructions for use for every day
In order to start whitening tooth enamel with baking soda, you should follow a certain recipe:
- Properly prepare a solution of baking soda powder and water (mix 2 small spoons of baking soda with 100 ml of warm water). Hot water cannot be used, as when interacting with soda powder, a negative reaction for the enamel occurs.
- You need to dip a toothbrush into the resulting solution and brush your teeth this way (soda is not fully capable of replacing regular toothpaste. Therefore, a similar procedure is recommended to be used after regular brushing of your teeth).
- After such cleaning of the oral cavity, you should not drink water or eat food for an hour, during which time the soda will begin to actively act, providing an antiseptic, cleansing and regenerating effect.
Some people add a few drops of fresh lemon juice to the soda paste - this enhances its whitening properties.
Ready-made recipes
With lemon juice
To prepare this composition you need:
- take 1 tsp. soda;
- add 2 drops of lemon juice;
- to stir thoroughly;
Use the resulting composition immediately; to apply the composition, use cotton pads or cotton swabs.
With strawberry
To make the soda-strawberry mixture, you need:
- take 1-2 berries;
- crush;
- add 1 tsp. soda;
Stir the mixture and gently apply to the teeth with your fingers or a cotton pad. Leave it on for 5 minutes then rinse your mouth.
Use this method no more than once every 3 months.
Video recipe with step-by-step preparation:
With toothpaste
To prepare toothpaste powder, all you need is:
- take 1 tsp. soda;
- mix with a small amount of paste;
- mix thoroughly.
Apply the solution carefully using a cotton swab or cotton pad.
Cleaning Rules
Dental soda can be used in many different ways. You should know about all the ways it can be used.
- Dry powder. This is a popular and easy way to use baking soda. You need to apply a small amount of powder to your fingertips and gently work your teeth in this way. You can also use cotton pads for cleaning, however, for some people this procedure will not be the most pleasant. Many people note that even after one reading with dry soda, their teeth become significantly whiter.
- You can dissolve soda in water, then soak gauze in the solution and treat your teeth. The result will be exactly the same as from dry powder, but the effect is more gentle. This method is great for sensitive teeth.
- A small amount of powder can be added directly to the paste you use daily. It's best if your toothpaste contains fluoride. For cleaning, use a regular brush.
- Combined composition. If you want to achieve an even more impressive result, then soda must be mixed with hydrogen peroxide. But here it is important to take into account that such a composition is even harsher, which means it can harm your teeth. However, if you do everything correctly, you will not have any problems. You just need to take 3% hydrogen peroxide and mix it with the powder. Then apply a small amount to a cotton swab and work on your teeth. You should not use this mixture too often, preferably no more than once a month. If you have very sensitive teeth, it is better to avoid such an experiment altogether.
Advice
If you want your teeth to always remain white, then tooth powder should be your preference. Of course, it also cannot be used every day, but it will be used exactly as intended, which means its composition is safer for your teeth.
Also, if you want your teeth to become whiter, then you should exclude coffee, black tea and red wine from your diet. All these products stain the enamel very strongly, especially daily coffee consumption. Even if you regularly use baking soda for cleaning, but consume coloring products, you will not be able to achieve a worthwhile result.
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Soda with hydrogen peroxide
Using baking soda with hydrogen peroxide is an effective way to lighten tooth enamel. There are 2 methods of such cleaning: fast and slow.
The slow method allows you to carefully clean the enamel of plaque without damaging it. To use it, you need to mix soda powder (1 teaspoon) with peroxide (0.5 teaspoon). As a result of the interaction, a foam-like mass is obtained, which is applied to the teeth using a cotton swab or finger. After 3-5 minutes, the mouth should be rinsed with water.
The quick method is more harsh: a mixture of soda and peroxide is applied directly to the toothbrush. When brushing, you need to gently and carefully touch the surface of your teeth and gums, otherwise it can easily be damaged. After this, you need to brush your teeth with a toothpaste with a high fluoride content.
GOI paste for cleaning silver
GOI paste is a paste that was obtained for the first time at the State Optical Institute. It contains microparticles, thanks to which a thin layer with the smallest scratches and cracks is removed from the surface.
This paste is popular in Russia, as it can be used for grinding and polishing various surfaces.
Types of GOI paste
Previously, only three types of this product were produced, but now there are many more of them with different particle sizes. Basic:
- Numbers one and two: These two types of pastes can be used to clean surfaces and give them a glossy shine.
- Number three: this type of paste mattifies surfaces and does not leave marks on them.
- Number four: intended for initial rough polishing.
Based on consistency, the paste is divided into two types:
- Liquid: has the form of a paste-like mass and is sold in boxes.
- Hard: sold in the form of bars.
Both pastes are popular because they have a high-quality polish and an affordable price.
How to clean silver jewelry with GOI paste?
To clean silver items, you should use GOI paste number three.
- Preparing the surface of the product before polishing. In order to clean a silver item with GOI paste, you must first prepare it well: go over the item with a small brush with tooth powder.
- Preparing a special solution and soaking the silver item in it. Solution composition:
- ammonia;
- powder;
- soap.
All these components must be mixed and the silver product must be soaked in the prepared liquid.
- Boiling a silver item in a solution. After preparing the solution, you need to boil the silver in it to better clean the surface of the product.
- Flushing. After the decoration (or cutlery) has been removed from the container with the solution, it is necessary to rinse it with water.
- For cleaning you need to use:
- GOI hard paste;
- soft fabric;
- a piece of felt.
Procedure:
- Rub the paste onto the felt.
- Take the product and work it with a felt base.
- Take a soft piece of cloth and make the object smooth: polish for a few minutes, and then repeat if you are not satisfied with the result.
Advantages and disadvantages of the method
Pros:
- cleans the product well;
- can be used not only for polishing silver, but also for other surfaces: glass, grinding metal surfaces and so on;
- almost does not harm human health.
Minuses:
- This product cannot be used to clean gold-plated items;
- although GOI paste does not harm the human body, it is still worth wearing protective glasses and a mask, since the resulting dust can cause irritation of the mucous membranes;
- you need to choose the right type of GOI paste, otherwise you can scratch or damage the surface;
- long cleaning process.