I have a question. I was looking for ways to whiten my teeth at home and found a site that suggested mixing baking soda and lemon to make a paste to put on your teeth. You only leave it on a minute and rinse it off. I’ve done it for a couple of weeks and haven’t noticed much difference. I don’t want to waste any more time (or groceries) if it’ll never work, so I thought I’d ask if this is even a good way to get my teeth white?
Denise
Dear Denise,
It would seem to make sense that using lemon and baking soda together would make a great teeth whitening agent. Citric acid, found in lemons and other citrus fruits, can be used to clean various items, from removing tarnish on copper to disinfecting butcher blocks. Baking soda is often used in cleaning because it is a mild abrasive and is found in many toothpastes and teeth whitening products.
But what is good to clean some items isn’t always good for another. Citric acid is just that, acidic. If your teeth are exposed to it, not just from fruits, but from soda, candy, and other natural foods that have citric acid, over time it will cause damage to the enamel on your teeth.
Enamel is your teeth’s fortress to protect them from decay. Unfortunately, once enamel is destroyed, your body cannot regenerate more to replace it. The best thing to do after eating or drinking something acidic is to rinse your mouth right away with water. Wait about thirty minutes before brushing your teeth so the acidic acid isn’t pushed further into the enamel.
Talk to your dentist about how to safely whiten your teeth. Many dentists offer affordable teeth whitening. Either way, take care of those teeth by regularly visiting your dentist for cleaning and don’t forget to floss!
You may be interested in reading more about teeth whitening.
This post is sponsored by Enfield dentist Dr. William Cummiskey at Generations Dental Care.