Is toothpaste or baking soda better for treating bee stings?

Toothpaste and baking soda work very similarly in treating bee stings, according to Mother Earth Living, but toothpaste may cause stinging at first. Alkaline baking soda mixed with water helps to counter the formic acid present in a bee sting.

Toothpaste contains similar alkaline ingredients to those in baking soda, so it works in much the same way to counter the bee sting venom, reports Mother Earth Living. Someone who prefers to avoid the initial sting might opt for baking soda first. Honey, ice, meat tenderizers and calendula are other home remedies recommended by Mother Earth Living for treating bee stings.