Charcoal Toothpaste: Are They Safe For Your Teeth?

Charcoal has now made its way in all kinds of products from supplements to face masks. That’s mostly because of the detoxifying powers that enable it to grab onto things like dangerous chemicals, oil, and dirt. It’s no surprise that people tend to apply charcoal more and more for cleaner and brighter teeth.

In fact, activated charcoal is used on people who have ingested certain deadly poisons or drugs, since the charcoal stops the poison from reaching the bloodstream through the gut.

However, some people still think that using black to get whiter teeth is just an internet “miracle”. To find out if that’s true or charcoal is really all it’s claimed to be, we’re going to share some facts and have a look at the superpowers of the black stuff.

What Exactly Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal, a form of charcoal that’s been finely processed into a powder. Essentially it’s a form of carbon that’s been treated to make the surface of its particles porous. The little crannies act like magnets for other particles, which it absorbs, so all these substances can be swept away once the charcoal is washed off.

Actually, activated charcoal toothpaste is renowned for ancient medicine techniques. Now it sounds like the perfect tooth cleanser. However, not everyone is convinced.

Is It Safe To Put Charcoal In Your Mouth?

Charcoal is rather abrasive. This means it could damage enamel if used regularly. Itс tendency to absorb all sorts of things it comes into contact with may also include good things like medications, for instance.

Charcoal could not be specifically bad for your teeth when used correctly, but it won’t actually do much for your smile in the long term since the active ingredient isn’t in contact with the tooth surface for enough time to have a meaningful whitening effect. 

Many people that use such toothpaste and treatments believe that a regular coating of activated charcoal whitens their teeth and kills off bad breath-causing bacteria.

The reality is somewhere in the middle. Charcoal toothpaste is good for removing surface stains but not actually whiten teeth. 

But as whitening is the main promoted feature of these products, this brings us to the question:

Can Charcoal Be Used For Whitening?

As we mentioned charcoal products are great for removing surface stains. However, there’s a difference between this and whitening. 

Surface stains come from things like coffee, red wine, tobacco, and dark-colored foods and drinks. They stick to the enamel but can be removed with toothpaste or surface whitening treatments. There are also deeper stains that are dark coloring, which comes from within the tooth, as a result of trauma, weak enamel, certain types of medication, and even overuse of fluoride.

As of these underlying colors of your teeth, no matter how hard you try to whiten your teeth at home, a true lightening of their color could only be seen after bleaching treatments that penetrate below the outer surface of teeth.

With that said brushing with activated charcoal could definitely clean the surface of your teeth but the result would never equal which an in-office whitening treatment.

Is Charcoal Detoxifying The Mouth?

Detox as been a buzzword abound the “healthy lifestyle” sphere for a few years now. There are some claims of charcoal used to detoxify your mouth. The truth is,  while it can really lift away plaque and food particles that lead to bad breath, the effect won’t be much more dramatic than what you’d get with any other toothpaste. 

In fact, teeth and gums don’t perform a detoxifying function of the body. Since so-called toxins aren’t generally found in your mouth anyway, there’s not much point in using tooth-cleaning to purge them.

The Downsides

Charcoal products, which are increasingly popular often contain no fluoride to help protect the teeth. In fact, there is no evidence to back up the claims they brighten your teeth as well. With charcoals abrasiveness in mind, excessive brushing can do more harm than good.

Furthermore, the dark charcoal toothpaste can leave the teeth looking grey and dull if it isn’t completely brushed off. The extra scrubbing needed to get rid of it completely could cause extra wear and tear on the enamel. Charcoal particles can also get caught up in the gums and irritate them.

In A Nutshell

Charcoal toothpaste might be good for cleaning your teeth. However, it’s always best to see your family dentist for advice on that or whitening teeth. Sometimes concerns about staining or discolored teeth might be solved by a simple change in diet and some improvements in oral hygiene.

Activated charcoal won’t do miracles to your smile. You should never skip your regular checkups and dental cleanings if you want to keep it looking its best.

If you have any more questions or want to book a whitening appointment, the professional team of Gallegos Family Dentistry is always here to help! Don’t hesitate and contact us today.