Is baking Soda Safe for Teeth?

RDA VALUES FOR BRUSHING YOUR TEETH WITHOUT DAMAGE TO GUMS AND/OR ENAMEL

Most toothpaste on the market contains abrasive particles (i.e. particles which are not water-soluble) including aluminum hydroxide, silicates and others. Such "scrubbing" compounds are added to help remove plaque and stains during brushing, and it's their quantity, particulate size and hardness which determine the degree of abrasiveness of a toothpaste.

To be able to measure a toothpaste abrasiveness, scientists use the RDA index (from radioactive dentin abrasion or relative dentin abrasion). Higher values indicating increasingly higher abrasiveness. The more abrasive power, the more likely enamel erosion will occur, which can easily open the way to tooth decay.   It's typically whitening toothpastes which top the list of abrasiveness while toothpastes formulated for sensitive teeth tend to be at the bottom.

While test results have somewhat varied between labs, the following listing (in ascending order) gives an idea of the abrasiveness of commonly used toothpastes.¹Note that ADA and other official bodies rank values from 0 – 70 as low abrasive, 70 – 100 as medium abrasive, 100 – 150 as highly abrasive and 150 – 250 as the harmful limit.

Is baking Soda Safe for Teeth?

TOOTHPASTE / TOOTH POWDER RDA VALUES (ABRASIVENESS INDEX)

4 brushing teeth with water
9 baking soda
8 Arm & Hammer Tooth Powder
15 Weleda Salt Toothpaste
30 Elmex Sensitive Plus
35 Arm & Hammer Dental Care
42 Arm & Hammer Advance Whitening / Peroxide
44 Squiggle Enamel Saver
45 Oxyfresh
48 Arm & Hammer Dental Care Sensitive
49 Tom's of Maine Sensitive
49-52 Arm & Hammer Peroxicare Regular
51 Crest with Scope
53 Rembrandt Original, Closys
57 Tom's of Maine Children's
60 Biotene Gel
63 Rembrandt Mint
68 Colgate Regular
70 Colgate Total, Arm & Hammer Advance White Sensitive, Colgate 2-in-1 Fresh Mint, Colgate Total
78 Biotene
79 Sensodyne
80 AIM, Close-Up, Biotene Paste with Fluoride
83 Colgate Sensitive Max Strength, Tooth and Gum Care
87 Nature's Gate
91 Aquafresh Sensitive
93 Tom's of Maine Regular
94 Rembrandt Plus
95 Crest Regular
97 Oxyfresh Powder
101 Natural White
103 Mentadent
104 Sensodyne Extra Whitening
106 Colgate Platinum, Arm & Hammer Advance White
107 Crest Sensitivity
110 Colgate Herbal, Amway Glister
113 Aquafresh Whitening
117 Arm & Hammer Advance White Gel, Arm & Hammer Sensation Tartar Control
120 Close-Up with Baking Soda
124 Colgate Whitening
130 Crest Extra Whitening
133 Ultra Brite
144 Crest Multicare Whitening
145 Ultra Brite Advanced Whitening Formula, Colgate Baking Soda Whitening
150 Pepsodent
155 Crest Rejuvenating Effects
165 Colgate Tartar Control
168 Arm & Hammer Dental Care PM Fresh Mint
175 Colgate Luminous
176 Nature's Gate Paste
160-190 Crest Pro Health Formulas
200 Colgate 2-in-1 Tartar Control / White

As you can see, the winner is: baking soda! Sodium bicarbonate is not only the gentlest, least abrasive substance one could use (apart from water) but it also removes stains, whitens teeth, raises the saliva pH and kills germs involved in tooth decay and gum disease.²