Hey, So I've been recently interested in baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) as an alternative to fluoride toothpaste. I do like to know the facts if they are available and so I decided to use my university given abilities to search some scientific journals on recent studies in this area. I will post a few conclusions and references from some articles I've dug up. I was interested in baking soda`s ability to actually kill bugs in your mouth, after all that`s likely what causes bad breath. So i found this article saying: `The statistical analyses showed that, over a 4-week period, there was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) reduction in numbers of mutans streptococci with the two bicarbonate dentifrices as compared with the placebo dentifrice. Although not statistically significant, a similar trend was observed with lactobacilli. Longer-term, large-scale studies need to be conducted to investigate the possible mechanisms of action of sodium bicarbonate on these organisms and to relate the results to possible cariostatic effects in humans.` Ref: EFFECTS OF SODIUM-BICARBONATE DENTIFRICES ON THE LEVELS OF CARIOGENIC BACTERIA IN HUMAN SALIVA Author: LEGIERVARGAS, K So basically saying that it reduced numbers of two bacteria commonly found in dental plaque. Its not conclusive but its encouraging. But then I thought, we have a lot of organisms symbiotically living in our mouths and so I`m sure its not good to get rid of them all. Then I found this: `Zambon and his group at the University of Rochester studied 100 adults who used toothpaste with 52% and 65% sodium bicarbonate for six months and then for another three months after the participants stopped using the paste.8 Compared to their prestudy baseline values, the participants had a 50% reduction in dental plaque, a 70% reduction in gingival inflammation, and a 60% reduction in dental stain. Microbiological assays showed no adverse shift in the oral microflora; rather, the microbial analysis showed a promotion of health-associated oral microorganisms.` Zambon JJ, Mather ML, Gonzales Y, A microbiological and clinical study of the safety and efficacy of baking soda dentifrices. Compend. 18Suppl No. 21) 539-544, 1998. For those interested, I researched what those toothpastes were that they used and they were: Arm & Hammer PeroxiCare and Arm & Hammer Dental Care. That may be relevent since other things are in each and it wasn`t just baking soda alone. Next I was wondering about the abrasiveness of it since I`ve heard from some that it will wear away enamel over time yet others say its fine. `The very low dentin abrasion of sodium bicarbonate of 30 to 40, compared to the more typical 70 to 110 of toothpastes, has led to speculation on the mechanism of action occurring with sodium bicarbonate cleaning the tooth surface. The alkalinity of sodium bicarbonate and its interference with plaque adhesion are usually first-mentioned theories to explain its stain- and plaque-removal actions. Crystal size, shape, and hardness are usually used to explain correlations between crystal characteristics and abrasion achieved, but the good water solubility of sodium bicarbonate probably minimizes differences between crystal fractions. There was minimal difference in the abrasion and cleaning power of various grades of sodium bicarbonate in both abrasion and cleaning power, further suggesting that chemical cleaning is a major dental cleaning mechanism for sodium bicarbonate.` Dentifrice Abrasives: Heroes or Villains? A Peer-Reviewed Publication John Hefferren, Na Li. RDH. Tulsa: Dec 2005. Vol. 25, Iss. 12; pg. S3, 7 pgs This was a literature review and I wasn`t able to locate the actual article that this information was taken from so I am not sure what the numerical values stand for. I wasn`t really convinced from that one article that this was accurate and I found it very annoying that there was no papers that I could find on sodium bicarbonate alone. That`s probably because who is going to pay for the study... I know most of that information isn`t very conclusive but I thought I`d share what I could find and if I come across something better then I will add it.
