Been trying out some DIY teeth whitening stuff lately, mostly because I'm kinda tired of spending money on those whitening strips that make my teeth feel sensitive and weird afterward. Anyway, I stumbled across two popular methods online—one is just baking soda mixed with a bit of water to make a paste, and the other is baking soda mixed with lemon juice.
I tried the plain baking soda paste first. It felt gritty and tasted pretty salty (not my favorite), but after rinsing, my teeth did feel cleaner and looked slightly brighter. Then yesterday, I gave the lemon juice version a shot. It tasted way better, obviously, but I read somewhere that lemon juice can be harsh on enamel if you use it too often. Now I'm kinda torn between the two methods.
Anyone else here tried either of these? Curious if one works better than the other long-term or if the lemon juice thing is really as bad as some people say...
I get why the lemon juice version is tempting—it tastes way better—but honestly, I'd steer clear. My orthodontist warned me about acidic stuff like lemon juice weakening enamel over time. Maybe stick with baking soda occasionally or ask your dentist about gentler alternatives...
Yeah, I get the enamel concern, but honestly, I've been using lemon juice mixed with baking soda maybe once every couple months for years now—no issues yet. I mean, moderation's key, right? Plus, straight baking soda tastes like salty chalk...not exactly my idea of a good time. Maybe just rinse thoroughly afterward or something? Seems to work fine for me so far.
I've seen a few patients who've used lemon and baking soda mixes without immediate issues, but honestly, enamel erosion is something that sneaks up over time. A close friend of mine did this regularly and thought everything was fine for years...until suddenly she noticed sensitivity and translucency at the edges of her teeth. Maybe you're being careful enough with moderation and rinsing, but personally I'd stick to safer, proven methods—enamel doesn't exactly regenerate once it's gone. Just something to think about.
