Whole books have been written about the healing powers and other uses of bicarbonate of soda. It is renowned as a household cleanser, It’s also used as a raising agent in backing because it produces carbon dioxide bubbles that give cakes, muffins and some bread and pastries their ‘lift’. And on top of all that, it has wide-ranging healing properties.
What’s it good for?
- athlete’s foot
- bites and stings
- body odour
- chickenpox
- dry mouth
- foot odour
- gum problems
- heartburn
- heat rash
- hives
- indigestion
- itching
- mouth ulcers
- sore throat
- splinters
- sunburn
- urinary tract infections
Bicarbonate of soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate or simply ’bicarb’, is among the fastest-acting antacids. It stops itching from insect bites and stings. It helps to remove dental plaque and neutralizes tooth-damaging acids. It eases the symptoms of bladder infections, Doctors even use it to reduce blood acids during dialysis for kidney disease. So don’t take that little plastic drum on your baking shelf for granted.
Nature’s neutralizer
All chemicals can be rated according to their pH, a measure of acidity and alkalinity: Water, with a pH value of 7.0 is neutral. Anything above 7.0 is alkaline and anything below 7.0 is acid. With a pH of 8.4, bicarbonate of soda is mildly alkaline and takes the edge off potentially harsh acids.
Look at heartburn, for example. This usually occurs when highly corrosive hydrochloric acid in the stomach finds its way upwards into the oesophagus causing a temporary chemical burn. You can obtain relief by taking a sodium bicarbonate tablet or a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with a few drops of lemon juice mixed in a glass of water. (Lemon juice helps to dispel some of the gas bicarbonate of soda can form when it combines with stomach acid.) When you drink this fizzy medicine, it neutralizes hydrochloric acid by covering it to harmless sodium chloride and carbon dioxide. The effects last only about 30 minutes, but they occur almost instantly.
(Alert Don’t use this remedy too often because bicarbonate of soda is high in sodium, which may raise your blood pressure.)
There are many other ways to take advantage of bicarbonate of soda. For example, you can:
- Reduce tooth-damaging acids Acids produced by bacteria in the mouth erode tooth enamel. You can neutralized them by rinsing out your mouth with a bicarbonate of soda solution several times a day. Or damp your toothbrush with water, Dip it in bicarbonate of soda and brush. Bicarb (now added to lots of toothpastes) is slightly abrasive and polishes teeth without damaging the enamel.
- Make teeth smell sweet Added to a toothbath, bicarb can neutralized bacterial acids that cause foot odour. You can also use it when you wash to combat underarm smells. And a bicarb and water paste can help to clear up athlete’s foot.
- Take the bite out of stings Don’t scratch yourself raw when mosquitos or other insects have made you their dish of the day. Instead, mix a little water with bicarbonate of soda and apply the paste to the itchy areas. A bicarb paste can also help to ease the itching of chickenpox.
- Soothe tender bottoms Infants with nappy rash feel better after a bicarb soak. Add a little powder to baby’s bathwater. It decreases itching and helps irritated skin to heal more quickly.
- Ease bladder infections Bacteria thrive in the slightly acidic environment inside the bladder. When you have an infection, a cocktail of bicarbonate of soda and water is the perfect after-dinning drink.
- Cool down sunburn Added to a warm bath, bicarbonate of soda ‘softens’ the water and makes a soothing soak.
- Ease a sore throat Add 1/2 teaspoon of bicarb to a glass of water and gargle every 4 hours to reduce pain-causing acids. Swishing the solution around your mouth will ease mouth ulcers too.