I live in a neighborhood with modeling agencies, expensive condos and townhouses, and lots of beautiful men and women, who all have one characteristic in common- their teeth are as white as George Clooney’s, Brad Pitt’s, or any other celebrity. I don’t know how much they pay to keep their teeth sparkly and white, but I am highly doubtful that they get their teeth whitened using the free coupons that come in the mail.

In comparison, my teeth aren’t nearly as white and I am both leery of choosing a dentist by mail and unsure about budgeting enormous amounts of cash for the sole purpose of whitening my teeth. I have tried and used whitening strips with limited success, but am always on the look-out for inexpensive ways for self-improvement.

I stumbled upon a different way to whiten my teeth- a mixture of baking soda (not to be confused with baking powder), a little bit of salt, and water. I browsed through my cabinets and found the required ingredients and carefully mixed up the concoction with high hopes of whitening and brightening my teeth.

The site I found recommended a teaspoon of Baking Soda, a pinch of salt, and enough water to make a paste. I doubled the amount of baking soda in the recipe. It is also important to note that the use of Baking Soda on your teeth too often can damage the enamel of your teeth because of its abrasiveness, so it should be used only one time every two weeks.

Nevertheless, I was still excited to try out the new teeth-whitening remedy and expected my teeth to be one or two shades lighter, which is significantly less than is guaranteed by professionals. I dipped my favorite stars and stripes toothbrush into the paste and began brushing. Though I had added only a tiny bit of salt, while brushing my teeth, I felt like I was gargling an entire mouthful of ocean water, which was not as pleasant as you might expect.

After I finished brushing, I peered into the mirror to see if my teeth had lightened any, and could honestly not tell the difference. I like to think that they are a little whiter, but this could definitely be attributed to the placebo effect. In any rate, trying out the Baking Soda method for teeth whitening is much cheaper than going to a professional or using whitening strips.

Sadly, my teeth are still not as white as George Clooney's.