So, we love a good DIY hack or project like the rest of Waco. After all, we’re in Chip and Jo country, right?! That being said, there are a few things we think you should leave to the professionals. One of those things, in particular, is dentistry.

You may be thinking, ‘Wait, of course, you’re going to say that! You’re dentists!’ Yes, we are dentists, and that means our biggest priority is to keep you and your smile healthy. So, in this blog, we’re investigating a trending DIY hack we’ve seen floating around on TikTok. (Dentists can be hip to the TikTok trend, too!)

The do-it-yourself trend we’re talking about is tooth whitening with baking soda. TikTok videos show a step-by-step tutorial that uses a dry toothbrush swirled in a cup of baking soda until the bristles are completely covered. The next step is to pour hydrogen peroxide over the covered bristles and then use the brush to clean your teeth. But does it work, and is it safe for your teeth?

The answer is two-part. Yes, it can work because baking soda can whiten your teeth due to its mildly abrasive property that scrubs surface stains from your tooth enamel. But using too much pure baking soda or using baking soda too often can cause issues such as fractures, which can weaken your tooth enamel. When your tooth enamel is weakened, your teeth will become more susceptible to staining and will age faster (turn yellow and become brittle).

We also have a word of caution about adding hydrogen peroxide to the baking soda. Combining the two can cause further damage to your teeth, too.

Instead of using pure baking soda and peroxide, talk to us about a toothpaste we would recommend or ask us about how to safely whiten your teeth and restore your smile.

Do you have questions about how to whiten your smile or take better care of your teeth? Please leave it to the experts and leave TikTok to someone else.

Call Legends Dental today at 254-799-9540 for more information about healthy smiles.