Anyone on social media will tell you there are endless advertisements and influencers promoting the use of charcoal toothpaste to whiten their teeth. In this blog we will discuss the truth about charcoal toothpaste, namely does it work and what risks are involved when using it.
Activated charcoal has the ability to absorb dirt and impurities. It is commonly used in water filtration systems and food poisoning for this very reason i.e. to remove toxins. So in theory applying it to your teeth should do the same thing right? The companies that market these toothpastes state they will remove impurities and stains from your teeth making them whiter.
The truth is there are no studies to prove these claims, or whether charcoal toothpaste is indeed safe to be used on your teeth. What we do know however is that charcoal toothpaste is very abrasive, and if you have surface stains from things such as smoking, red wine, or tea, the toothpaste will be effective in removing these. However if used everyday, it will start to wear your enamel away (think sandpaper to a piece of timber), and if worn through enough your teeth will start to look darker as the dentine (the 2nd layer of the tooth) starts to show. This also in turn can cause sensitivity and tooth ache. The charcoal may also make its way into fine crevices in the teeth that will be difficult to remove. Finally, Fluoride is often missing from these toothpastes, and using them will not help remineralise teeth or prevent cavities.
Our message when asked about these toothpastes is if you’re wanting to whiten your teeth, the best way is using custom made trays and whitening gel. This in combination with fluoridated sensitive toothpaste will give you the best results with the least discomfort. There simply isn’t enough clinical data on whether charcoal toothpaste is safe, and until such research is done we can’t recommend it use.