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Is it okay to use baking soda as a brush?
“Will brushing with baking soda harm my teeth?”
According to some experts, brushing with baking soda on a frequent basis can wear down gum tissue and tooth enamel.
Is baking soda the true cause?
Our teeth like to be polished and our gums prefer to be massaged.
We will be far more likely to take better care of our teeth if we keep this one item in mind during brushing:
Living gems are our teeth.
Indeed, the structure of our teeth resembles a crystal. However, in contrast to diamonds and rubies, these “tooth crystals” are living.
In the end, the majority of us wash our teeth without realising it. We refer to it as “zombie brushing.”
Yes, using baking soda to brush our teeth might potentially lead to some serious issues if we do it as we’re cleaning a grout line in our bathroom.
Observe how you hold your toothbrush to see if you brush subconsciously.
You’re probably cleaning a grout line if you hold your toothbrush in a closed fist.
Therefore, let’s be clear that how we brush our teeth matters more than what we use before getting into the specifics of whether or not using baking soda on a daily basis is safe.
Let’s examine the advantages and disadvantages of brushing our teeth with baking soda.
The possible drawbacks of using baking soda as a tooth powder are listed below.
First risk: abrasivity
Is baking soda very harsh?
In order to respond to this, let’s contrast baking soda with a few abrasives that are frequently included in mouthwash.
The “Relative Dentin Abrasivity” (RDA) scale is used in the field of oral hygiene products. From zero (not abrasive) to more than 200 (extremely abrasive), it rates the abrasiveness of products.
On the RDA scale, baking soda only receives a 7. Therefore, it would appear that baking soda isn’t very harsh when used intentionally.
If your gums are receding, take note.
As you are aware, each tooth’s enamel is its outermost layer. The dentin and tooth pulp are located underneath the enamel.
However, the area of the tooth around our gum line may no longer be enamel if our gums are receding. The softer tooth tissue known as “cementum” may show around the gum line as the gum recession worsens.
This explains why cavities on the gum line rather than the chewing surfaces of adults’ teeth are more prevalent. Because the cementum, which is exposed by receding gums, is softer than the enamel covering the tooth’s crown, it is more vulnerable to decay and structural damage from excessive brushing and the use of abrasive cleaning agents.
Overall, though, baking soda is safe to use in toothpaste or powder when used mindfully.
Second Risk: What about baking soda’s aluminium content?
This cultural misconception is widespread. Aluminium is not present in baking soda.
Although baking soda doesn’t contain aluminium, some product makers have confused consumers by including “aluminum-free baking soda” on their ingredient list.
Risk 3: Using baking soda every day can go too far.
According to some dental professionals, brushing with baking soda alone is too “rough” and destroys the beneficial biofilm that our teeth require to be healthy.
After discussing some of the dangers of using baking soda for brushing, let’s look at the advantages.
Benefit 1: Promotes a more balanced pH in the mouth
Our oral cavity Which bacterial communities thrive there is largely determined by pH. It is well known that tooth decay is more likely to occur in mouths with lower (more acidic) pH values. (A pH of 5.5 and below causes enamel demineralisation.)
You see, a pH of 6.5 or 7.0 will be completely unfriendly to bacteria that thrive at a pH of 5.5. It is our responsibility to assist maintain a mouth pH that supports the probiotic bacterial populations that enable us to lead healthy, vibrant lives in order to effectively manage our oral microbiome.
A more alkaline oral pH is supported by baking soda’s pH of 8.3. It subtly encourages a healthy environment in our mouths.
See our article “Tracking your saliva pH” for further details on the function of pH in dental health. To assist you on your journey, you may download a free OraWellness saliva tracking log from this post.
Benefit 2: Baking soda reduces the number of nasty bugs
Baking soda is a good support tool to minimise periodontal infections since it has been shown in several studies to really help reduce the populations of hooligan bugs in the mouth.
If you pause and consider it, this makes sense.
Baking soda is a salt since it is sodium bicarbonate. Every salt has inherent antibacterial properties.
Are the advantages greater than the disadvantages?
In light of the facts above, we think baking soda can help us achieve the best possible dental health as long as we brush our teeth mindfully and refrain from “zombie brushing.
Baking soda undoubtedly offers a lot of “grit” to aid with plaque removal. However, we must be careful and attentive when brushing with baking soda to prevent doing more harm than good.
You see, within the first 20 seconds of brushing, the majority of the grit from baking soda (and toothpaste, for that matter) is diluted with saliva and “used up.”
For instance, the teeth and surrounding gum tissue in the upper left section of your mouth will receive more than their fair amount of abrasive activity if you brush there first out of habit, which might cause them to deteriorate over time.
How do you prevent overusing one area of your mouth?
to lessen the possibility of this repetitive “beginning to brush in the same spot every time” behaviour.
Here’s the easy plan…
Start by brushing one side of your mouth in the morning and the other side at night, assuming you brush twice a day. “At night, start on the right” is a simple method to remember this.
Thus, begin brushing the left side of your mouth in the morning and the right side at night.
By spreading the new toothpaste or tooth powder across different parts of the mouth, we lower the chance of overbrushing one region.
How can I make my own tooth powder with baking soda?
We are really appreciative of the DIY (do-it-yourself) movement’s comeback. We’re all seeing the advantages of doing or producing things oneself, from deodorant to backyard poultry.
Baking soda is an excellent component to use if you want to attempt creating your own teeth powder.
To promote remineralisation, you can also think about use xylitol. To prevent exposure to GMOs, just make sure the xylitol comes from birch rather than maize.
When brushing, is baking soda safe to use? https://orawellness.com/