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How to clean and whiten teeth with strawberries and baking soda.

If you would like a natural home-made toothpaste, try this strawberry and baking soda toothpaste recipe for cleaning and whitening teeth.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Take a juicy, ripe strawberry, remove the leafy top and mash it up thoroughly for about a minute or so until it turns into a lovely lush, red pulp.

Step 2

Next, add the baking soda, or sodium Bicarbonate as it is also known. You can use either a half teaspoon or a full teaspoon depending on how strong you want the cleansing effect to be. A full teaspoon will give the paste a bit more of an abrasive edge to it. If you are going to use baking soda for personal care purposes always use the naturally processed, food grade sodium bicarbonate. And don’t confuse baking soda with baking powder as they are not the same thing.

Step 3

Mix the baking soda powder into the strawberry pulp for about 30 seconds.

Step 4

Take a new, soft-bristled toothbrush, dip it in your mixture and apply the paste to your teeth by brushing them as you normally would. Don’t spit out the paste as you brush, instead, let it sit on the enamel for maximum benefits.

Step 5

The cleaning effects of this little recipe are 4 fold. Firstly the baking soda works as a mild abrasive, gently buffing away stains and discoloration. Secondly, baking soda is effective at killing the bacteria that cause plaque and tartar. Thirdly, the malic acid in the strawberries disrupts and removes deep staining from the teeth. And lastly, the combination of the acid from the strawberry and the sodium bicarbonate react together when mixed and give off small amounts of cleansing carbon dioxide bubbles.

Step 6

Leave the paste on your teeth for about 5 minutes and then rinse the mouth thoroughly.

Doing this once or twice a week is a great, natural way to remove stains and keep your teeth bright and shiny.

 Why strawberries help to whiten teeth.

You might think it is bonkers to clean your teeth with strawberries, but there is some solid science to suggest that it is not as crazy as you might think. Strawberries contain a chemical compound called malic acid that can help to dissolve away discoloration and stains from the teeth surface. Malic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid or AHA for short and is commonly used in skincare and anti-aging products for its ability to exfoliate and regenerate the skin. 

Malic Acid

Malic acid is commonly found in many fruits and vegetables like apples, cherries, bananas,  peaches, and tomatoes. It is a mild and harmless acid that is known to have many health benefits.

Benefits

Malic acid has a wide range of health benefits and is useful for relieving the effects of Fibromyalgia, improving liver health, reducing muscle soreness, boosting energy levels, pain relief, detoxing and treating dry mouth.
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When you brush your teeth with strawberry paste, the malic acid in the strawberries will soften the teeth slightly and allow you to brush off stains and discoloration. When we eat and drink highly colored foods like pasta sauces, curries, red wine and coffee it is likely that our teeth will eventually become discolored with stubborn stains that get ingrained in the teeth enamel surface. When the malic acid softens the teeth and disrupts the stains it gives your toothbrush a better chance of removing discoloration that has come from external sources like food, drink, and smoking.

Baking soda as a toothpaste

The most popular ingredient in any home-made toothpaste is sodium bicarbonate or baking soda as it is commonly known. Food grade sodium bicarbonate has a number of properties that make it ideal for cleaning and polishing teeth –

  • Baking soda is a mild abrasive that helps to remove plaque and teeth stains.
  • Because baking soda has a pH of 9 it helps to balance the chemistry of the mouth and aid enamel remineralization.
  • Baking soda is alkaline so it naturally neutralizes plaque acids.

Combining strawberries with baking soda.

In addition to the individual cleaning effects of strawberries and sodium bicarbonate, there is also a effervescent reaction that takes place when the malic acid in the strawberries comes into contact with the alkalinity of the baking soda. Small amounts of cleansing carbon dioxide bubbles are created which further aids the cleaning process.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

For people interested in using a home-made strawberry and baking soda toothpaste, we have put together some commonly asked questions below.

Is it safe to clean my teeth with strawberries and sodium bicarbonate?

If you have a healthy mouth and healthy teeth, it is perfectly safe to clean your teeth with strawberries and sodium bicarbonate, However, you should be aware of the effects that acid has on your teeth and how the demineralization/remineralization process works. Malic acid has a pH of about 2.2 and as a result, it will demineralize tooth enamel by dissolving away calcium and phosphate minerals. To put it simply, as the malic acid works to remove stains it also removes some of the mineral content of your teeth. Although this sounds destructive, it is completely normal because afterward, minerals in your saliva with begin to remineralize your teeth and return them to their natural state.

If you are especially prone to tooth decay, sensitive teeth or dry mouth you should consult your dentist before using a home-made toothpaste.

Why do strawberries help to whiten teeth?

Strawberries contain malic acid which helps to disrupt and dissolve stains on the teeth surface making them appear cleaner and whiter.

How often should I clean my teeth with strawberries and sodium bicarbonate?

Brushing your teeth with strawberries and sodium bicarbonate can be a refreshing and beneficial change to your normal routine. However, because of the acid content, it should not be used as your default toothpaste. It is best to alternate it with a remineralizing toothpaste that contains fluoride or if you are anti-fluoride a strengthening toothpaste like Theodent.

Can home-made toothpaste get rid of plaque?

Bacteria plaque is soft and easy to clean provided you brush your teeth twice a day and remove it before it starts to harden. A good brushing and flossing technique is much more important than the type of toothpaste you use. Home-made toothpaste can be just as effective at removing plaque provided you brush and clean all teeth surfaces effectively.

Who shouldn’t clean their teeth with this recipe?

Cleaning teeth with strawberries and sodium bicarbonate is harmless for people with good oral health. However, people who are prone to cavities, sensitive teeth or dry mouth should consult their dentist before using a home-made toothpaste.

 Final Notes.

It should be noted that any natural teeth whitening remedy will only remove extrinsic (external stains) and return your teeth to their natural color. They will not lighten the shade of your teeth in any way. The same is true of any over-the-counter whitening products like whitening toothpaste. To actually lighten the shade of your teeth you will need to visit your dentist to have your teeth whitened by a bleaching procedure using hydrogen or Carbamide peroxide.