Baking Soda for Whitening Teeth

When it comes to the chemical substance baking soda, I believe many people are familiar with it. Baking soda is a substance that can be dissolved in water. It can generally be used to make various pastries. In addition, it can also remove scale and even has personal beauty effects and functions. It is said that brushing your teeth regularly with baking soda can whiten your teeth, and it is especially suitable for people whose teeth become yellow due to long-term smoking. So, is baking soda effective for whitening teeth?

The effects and functions of baking soda are very wide, especially for household cleaning. It can clean bowls, plates and other items, and can even remove dirt from the bottom of stainless steel pots. In addition, it can be used as a facial mask and can make teeth whiter. Below we will give you a detailed answer to the question of whether baking soda is effective in whitening teeth.

Baking Soda for Whitening Teeth

Sodium bicarbonate, small white crystals, is less soluble in water than sodium carbonate. The solid begins to gradually decompose at above 50°C to produce sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide and water, and completely decomposes at 270°C. Sodium bicarbonate is an acid salt formed by the neutralization of a strong base and a weak acid, and it exhibits weak alkalinity when dissolved in water. This property is often used as a leavening agent in the food production process. Sodium bicarbonate will leave residual sodium carbonate after reaction. Using too much will make the finished product have an alkaline taste.

Baking soda for food

Different from industrial alkali such as pure alkali (sodium carbonate) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), baking soda is made by absorbing carbon dioxide from the solution or crystals of pure alkali. Therefore, baking soda is also called edible alkali (powdered) in some places. Baking soda is solid, round, white in color, and easily soluble in water. Simple salts are divided into normal salts, acid salts, and alkaline salts. Baking soda is an acid salt and is weakly alkaline. When mass-producing foods such as steamed bread and fried dough sticks, baking soda is often dissolved in water and mixed into the dough. When heated, it decomposes into sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide and water. The overflow of carbon dioxide and water vapor can make the food more fluffy, and sodium carbonate remains in the food. For example, the "alkali bun" commonly known in the north can be tasted if too much baking soda is added.

use

[Properties] White crystalline powder; odorless, salty taste; slowly decomposes in moist air. The alkalinity of the aqueous solution increases if it is left for a long time, shaken, or heated. Soluble in water, insoluble in ethanol. [Effect] This product is a weak alkali. It can quickly neutralize stomach acid after oral administration. Its antacid effect is weak and short-lived. In addition, it also has the effect of alkaline liquid. It is suitable for excessive gastric acid, indigestion and alkaline urine, etc.; intravenous administration is used for acidosis; external ear drops are used to soften cerumen; 2% solution is used for sitz baths for candidal vaginitis. [Precautions] ① Do not use in patients with ulcers that may cause perforation; do not use in combination with acidic drugs. ② When taken orally, a large amount of carbon dioxide gas is produced, which increases the pressure in the stomach. For patients with gastric ulcers, it irritates the ulcer surface and even has the risk of gastric perforation. At the same time, carbon dioxide stimulates the gastric mucosa and causes secondary excessive secretion of gastric acid. Excessive dosage may cause alkali poisoning.

Household cleaning: People who are allergic to detergents may add a little baking soda to the dishwashing water. This will not burn your hands and will allow you to wash the bowls and plates very cleanly. You can also use baking soda to scrub stainless steel pots, copper pots or iron pots, and clean the bottom of the pot (sprinkle baking soda evenly on the burnt aluminum bottom of the pot, then soak it in water. After a few hours, the burnt on the bottom of the pot can be easily wiped off). Baking soda can also clean the scale inside the thermos. The method is to dissolve 50 grams of baking soda in a cup of hot water, then pour it into the bottle and shake it up and down, and the scale can be removed. Soak your coffee pot or teapot in hot water and add 3 spoons of baking soda to remove stains and odors. Leaving an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator can help remove odors. You can also use baking soda and warm water to clean the inside of the refrigerator. Sprinkling some baking soda on trash cans or anywhere else that odors may be present will have a great deodorizing effect. If you have pets at home, sprinkle some baking soda on the carpet to remove the urine odor. If it is a cement floor, you can sprinkle baking soda on it, add a little vinegar, scrub the floor with a brush, and then rinse it with clean water. Sprinkle a little baking soda on a wet rag and scrub the plastic parts and casings of household appliances, which will have a good effect.

Personal Cleansing and Beauty: Use baking soda as a deodorizer. Mix one cup of baking soda and two spoons of starch, put it in a plastic container, and apply it to the smelly parts of your body to remove body odor. Baking soda is a slightly abrasive cleaner. Adding a little baking soda to toothpaste can neutralize odors and act as a whitening agent. Put a little baking soda in your shoes to absorb moisture and odors. Adding a little baking soda to your facial cleanser or using a baking soda and oatmeal mask can help improve your skin; adding a small amount of baking soda to your shampoo can remove residual hairspray and styling cream. The chlorine in the swimming pool can damage your hair. Adding a little baking soda to your shampoo can repair damaged hair. Adding a little baking soda to toothpaste when brushing your teeth can effectively remove rust and plaque. Repeat several times and your teeth will be as white as jade.

Cleaning scale: Pour about 500 grams of 1% baking soda solution into the thermos and shake it gently. The scale in the thermos can be removed. When there is dirt on the bottom of the electric iron, you can fold a wet towel into a shape similar to the bottom of the iron, sprinkle a layer of baking soda evenly on the towel, then plug in the iron, and when the temperature reaches 100 degrees, rub back and forth on the wet towel. When no water vapor is visible, wipe off the baking soda, and the dirt on the bottom of the iron will be removed.

Mold removal: When the refrigerator has a musty smell, you can scrub it with 20% concentration of baking soda water, which can remove both the musty smell and dirt. Reduce swelling: If you are stung by a bee, mix baking soda into a paste and apply it to the affected area to reduce swelling and relieve pain. Fading yellow: When ironing yellowed silk clothes, you can use a little baking soda to make a paste and apply it to the yellowed area. After the water evaporates, put a wet towel on it and iron it, and the yellowed marks will disappear.

Health hazards

Sodium bicarbonate is a very weak alkali close to neutral at room temperature. If its solid or aqueous solution is heated above 50°C, it can be converted into sodium carbonate, which is irritating and corrosive to humans, and irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory mucosa, causing inflammation.

First aid measures: Skin contact: Take off contaminated clothes and rinse with plenty of running water. Eye contact: Lift the eyelids and rinse with running water or saline. Seek medical attention. Inhalation: Move away from the scene to fresh air. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Seek medical attention if ingested: Drink plenty of warm water and induce vomiting. Seek medical attention.

Note: Brushing your teeth will not make them white. The reason they become white is because brushing away the visual effect created by the plaque, pigments, etc. on the tooth surface. Brushing your teeth with baking soda takes advantage of this cleaning effect and whitens your teeth. Soda water and salt water may work, but the effect will not be very obvious because using soda water removes the pigment deposits on the surface of the teeth. If the teeth are yellow, it will not work. In addition, baking soda itself is an alkaline substance. If you use alkaline substances to brush your teeth for a long time, it will corrode the teeth themselves. Therefore, it is recommended that you should not use it for a long time, as it will damage your mouth and teeth.

After reading the detailed answer to the question of whether baking soda is effective for whitening teeth, I believe many beauty-loving friends already know the benefits of baking soda. Although baking soda is very effective in removing plaque, dental experts tell us that brushing your teeth with baking soda cannot remove plaque from your teeth, and the effect is not very obvious. For some people whose teeth are relatively yellow, it generally has no effect. On the contrary, long-term use can easily cause certain corrosion to the teeth. Therefore, it is recommended that you do not use it for a long time.