Baking soda, coconut oil or toothpaste: the battle over dental hygiene

Baking soda and coconut oil: the trend dividing consumers

While the toothpaste industry rakes in millions, a growing number of consumers have decided to ditch traditional toothpaste. Instead, they use baking soda, coconut oil or even homemade mouthwashes with muriatic acid. The question is not trivial: are they ruining their enamel, or have they found a cheaper and more effective alternative? The debate over DIY dental hygiene pits baking soda advocates —who consider it less abrasive than many toothpastes— against those who warn of the risk of wear. And meanwhile, the figures on childhood cavities remain alarming.

The myth of baking soda's abrasiveness

The most repeated argument against baking soda is that it scratches the enamel. However, its hardness on the Mohs scale is 2.5, well below tooth enamel (5). Abrasiveness (RDA) studies mandatory in the US place toothpastes such as Arm & Hammer and Weleda —both baking soda based— among the least abrasive on the market, below many conventional brands. The problem, some analyses warn, is not baking soda itself, but the size and purity of the particles when used straight from the kitchen box. Poorly polished particles can indeed scratch.

The controversy is nothing new. In Germany, Parodontax (1937) already used baking soda and was a success. Decades later, manufacturers dropped it for more modern ingredients, but the cycle of trends has brought it back. The irony: what some see as a pseudoscientific breakthrough, others see as a return to basics with historical backing.

Fluoride, whiteners and the business of the smile

At the other extreme, distrust of industrial additives is growing. Excess fluoride, present in many toothpastes and fluoridated waters, has been singled out for its side effects. And whitening toothpastes, with high abrasiveness ratings, have left more than one person with tooth sensitivity, turning to brands like Sensodyne to repair the damage.

The industry responds with ever more complex products: whitening gels with Prussian blue, toothpastes with nano-hydroxyapatite imported from Japan like APAGARD, or miracle mouthwashes. But the informed consumer suspects that behind the innovation there is mostly marketing. The recent trend of dental veneers, for example, offers an immediate but irreversible aesthetic solution: once removed, the original tooth is damaged.

Childhood cavities spare no one

While adults argue about baking soda, the reality for children is harsh. In Catalonia, a study by the Dental Association (COEC) reveals that one in three children has cavities, a figure that has barely improved in 25 years. Lack of early hygiene, sugar consumption and unequal access to dental check-ups turn children's mouths into a ticking time bomb. Far from disappearing, dentists are seeing their clientele grow.

The consensus among the most sensible: thorough mechanical brushing (at least twice a day, including dental floss and an oral irrigator) is the foundation. Toothpaste plays a secondary role, especially when it contains fluoride at adequate concentrations. Homemade experiments can work, but not without risks.

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With the price of dental treatments soaring and prevention within reach of a toothbrush, the war over dental cleaning rages on. Does it make sense to pay for toothpastes loaded with promises when a box of baking soda costs pennies? Science says yes, with nuances. But fashion, as always, goes its own way.