Charcoal Toothpaste to Whiten Your Teeth – Yes or No?

There’s always going to be some new trend that claims to be better than anything that came before it, and the latest is toothpaste containing activated charcoal to whiten teeth. For a while now, people have been slathering charcoal on their faces in the pursuit of clear unblemished skin, so logic dictates that the next step is to put it in your mouth for cleaner teeth, right?

Not so much. It turns out you could be doing a lot more harm than good.

Pre-Mixed or Do it Yourself?

You can buy charcoal toothpaste ready-made or you can buy a jar of activated charcoal and mix it with your regular toothpaste for the DIY version. The charcoal is a fine powder and is as carcinogenic as cigarette smoke. Activated charcoal is just regular charcoal heated until it becomes porous and will bind to toxins. The first danger comes with making your own charcoal toothpaste and breathing in the fine powder.

Protect your Enamel

The danger to your teeth comes from the abrasive nature of charcoal toothpaste and the tendency to scrub your teeth hard to try to remove stains and make them whiter. It will damage your enamel, and once damaged, you can’t replace it. Tooth enamel is the hard, shiny white part of the tooth that protects the tooth’s interior. When the enamel erodes away, the teeth can decay easily.

But Does it Work?

Yes, it may work, temporarily. Any change in the whiteness of your teeth is because you removed surface stains when you scrubbed with the charcoal toothpaste.

But at what cost?

Along with those surface stains, you’re also taking off a fine layer of enamel. Use it enough times and you will see real damage to your pearly whites. Your tooth enamel will also become rough, making it easier for bacteria to stick to your teeth and cause plaque build-up, tooth decay and even gum disease. Continued use of the charcoal toothpaste could erode your enamel away so much that it makes its way into the teeth causing them to look grey or yellow.

Professional Teeth Whitening

If you want whiter teeth, don’t trust them to unproven and possibly fake claims of a miracle teeth whitener. Your teeth deserve better treatment than that, and you could be setting yourself up for costly dental services in a few years, not to mention wasting money on something that could make your teeth look worse.

Teeth Whitening West Auckland Locals Will Be Pleased With

There’s no doubt that lustrous, white teeth look amazing and can give your self-confidence a big boost, but it’s important to protect your tooth enamel and gums by opting for a professional teeth whitening treatment. At Titirangi Dental, we use and recommend Zoom! Teeth Whitening to safely whiten your teeth by up to eight shades.

Call 09 817 6057 or contact us online for professional advice or to make an appointment for any of our quality cosmetic dentistry services.