Charcoal toothpaste whitening
Hem / Mode, Skönhet & Personvård / Charcoal toothpaste whitening
Avoid toothpaste with toxic ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), saccharin, or triclosan.
The American Dental Association (ADA) does not recommend using charcoal toothpaste, based on a lack of evidence that it’s effective.
Does charcoal toothpaste damage teeth?
Natural home remedies
Although these options may not be as effective as some commercial teeth whitening products, they’re more natural and are easy to use. Charcoal can be a part of the routine—but only with clear-eyed expectations and expert oversight.”
Related Stories
By Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Q.My daughter-in-law is raving about charcoal-infused toothpaste she recently bought, saying it really helps whiten teeth.
I have been a dentist in private practice for 35 years. Seeing an immediate difference in the before-and-after can hold a lot of sway.
This isn’t the first time the buzzy ingredient has started popping up everywhere; over the years, influencers have raved about face masks, supplements, and more products featuring charcoal front and center.
Most charcoal toothpastes are safe to use and contain natural ingredients found in many types of fluoride-free toothpaste.
It may help remove surface stains, but the long-term use of this product is still unknown due to limited studies. But it’s the longer-term effects that people need to understand.
Potential downsides of toothpaste with charcoal
Those same abrasive properties that might help do away with surface-level stains may cause bigger problems over time.
Specifically, it may wear down enamel, which harms overall dental health in several ways.
“I’ve had patients—especially those who brush forcefully or use gritty charcoal pastes—present with increased sensitivity or even dull-looking teeth,” Khalife says, stressing that when “enamel wears away, it can’t be regenerated.”
A 2021 study backs this up.
You're better off opting for a standard, fluoride-containing toothpaste instead of a trendy newer product.
Image: © Rostislav_Sedlacek/Getty Images
About the Author
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Dr.
Toni Golen is a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, practicing in Boston. Although the amount of charcoal on your toothbrush is unlikely to cause issues, activated charcoal can adsorb certain medications and should not be swallowed unless directed by a doctor. It contains activated charcoal, which is a fine powder composed of coconut shells, wood, and other natural substances oxidized under heat.
However, it may support a healthy oral microbiome.You should use charcoal toothpaste no more than 2-3 times per week.
About Mark Burhenne, DDS
I’m on a mission to empower people everywhere with the same evidence-based, easy-to-understand dental health advice that my patients get. Charcoal toothpaste may even stain teeth inadvertently when charcoal particles get caught in tiny tooth cracks or leave teeth gray or black around the edges.
Activated charcoal is a lightweight hydrocarbon substance made up of materials such as coconut shells or wood pulp. But does toothpaste with charcoal work? The lack of fluoride in many charcoal toothpaste formulas is also a drawback, as low amounts of fluoride work to protect tooth enamel and prevent bacteria that cause cavities.
Other teeth whitening options
The idea of effective, safe, at-home teeth whitening remains alluring.
If you’re looking for a safe, lasting way to brighten your smile, professional whitening or custom veneer design will always be the healthier, more predictable option.”
And if you really want the natural, surface-level stain-removing effects touted by proponents of charcoal toothpaste, give baking soda a try instead. Sign up for my free newsletter and you’ll get my unconventional tips, starting with: If I had a cavity, here’s exactly what I’d do to reverse it.
Does charcoal toothpaste work?
Charcoal toothpaste works to remove some surface stains from teeth.
Like charcoal, it’s an abrasive, but one that’s mild and considered safe, according to The Journal of the American Dental Association.
The bottom line
If you’ve already hopped on the charcoal toothpaste train or if you’re determined to give it a try, dentists say that the key is to proceed with caution.