There are lots of different trends and products roaming around the internet claiming they will grant you the whitest smile you’ve ever seen. From scrubbing your teeth with strawberries to charcoal whitening toothpaste, not every internet trend is a good idea. One of the latest trends that have made their way to stores is charcoal toothpaste for teeth whitening. At Palencia Dental, St. Augustine Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Kinsey wants our patients to have healthy and beautiful smiles, unfortunately not every product out there is good for oral health or results. To help our patients better understand if charcoal toothpaste is a good idea, we compiled everything our patients need to know.
What is Charcoal Toothpaste?
Charcoal toothpaste takes ordinary toothpaste and adds activated charcoal to it. The logic behind it is that the activated charcoal removes stains from the teeth. So far, no evidence supports the claim that charcoal whitening toothpaste actually whitens teeth.
Does Charcoal Whitening Toothpaste Work?
Charcoal is naturally mildly abrasive. When you brush your teeth with charcoal toothpaste, you’re essentially exfoliating your teeth while absorbing the surface stains. There is no way for the toothpaste to go underneath the enamel which means there’s no way to remove stains beneath the surface. In order to achieve a whiter smile, both extrinsic and intrinsic stains need addressing. So far, there are no studies to conclude whether charcoal whitening toothpaste actually works.
Is Charcoal Toothpaste Safe?
Although there needs to be more research about the long-term side effects of whitening toothpaste, dentists have found it to damage teeth. For example, the charcoal is too abrasive for patients to use daily. This will eventually wear down the enamel which will make teeth look more yellow and feel more sensitive. Most brands of charcoal toothpaste also don’t contain fluoride. This means not only are you damaging your enamel but you’re not brushing your teeth with anything that will protect it. As a result, patients can expect to experience more cavities. There’s also concern about how charcoal toothpaste affects dental restorations like crowns or fillings. If it’s abrasive on teeth, it’s likely abrasive on restorations.
How Can I Safely Whiten My Teeth?
We recommend that our patients stick with an ADA approved toothpaste and visit us for professional teeth whitening instead. You won’t have to second guess if you’re damaging your teeth and you will end up with a beautiful white smile guaranteed. Schedule an appointment with our St. Augustine cosmetic dentist today by calling (904) 474-5444.
