Charcoal toothpaste whitening

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Although charcoal can adsorb poisons when ingested, there’s no evidence that it detoxifies your mouth or body in any meaningful way.

Is charcoal toothpaste safe to use?

Most charcoal toothpaste is safe to use on a regular basis.

Charcoal Toothpaste: Safety, Teeth Whitening, & Best Brands

Charcoal toothpaste is a popular dental health trend.

Researchers came to the conclusion that teeth brushed with charcoal toothpaste over a 12-week period not only appeared to have “no clinically acceptable whitening performances,” but also increased surface roughness on the tooth due to enamel abrasion.

Loss of enamel can impact the look of your teeth, but it can also cause additional issues down the line, such as gum recession and decay, warns Jacobs.

“I recall one patient, a man in his forties, who came in six months after switching to a charcoal paste,” he recalled.

swallowing: Like with any regular toothpaste, you should not swallow charcoal toothpaste. And lastly, most charcoal toothpastes don't contain fluoride, which protects your teeth against decay. However, if you notice your charcoal toothpaste is very gritty, you may want to seek a different brand. Dr. Golen completed her residency training at George Washington University Medical Center in 1995, and is an associate professor at Harvard Medical … See Full Bio

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You can read my story here. It’s not associated with any serious side effects to your oral health.

However, there are a few safety concerns to consider:

  • Abrasivity: Gritty, abrasive charcoal toothpaste could potentially erode your enamel. But is it safe?

    A. Charcoal toothpaste has recently become a trendy tooth-whitening choice, joining the ever-swelling ranks of whitening products lining store shelves.

    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. Dentists Weigh In

    If you’ve scrolled through TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen people swearing by sleek black tubes promising whiter, brighter teeth with the help of activated charcoal.

    charcoal toothpaste whitening

    No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. 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.

    However, these charcoal particles won’t detoxify your body or protect your teeth from tooth decay.

    Let’s take a look at the benefits of charcoal toothpaste, known side effects, and how to find the best brand.

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    What is activated charcoal? I have been a dentist in private practice for 35 years. Common causes of extrinsic staining include red wine, coffee, and smoking. 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.

    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. It takes 2-3 weeks to notice whiter teeth while using charcoal toothpaste every day.

    A study in 2017 found that charcoal was less effective at whitening teeth than hydrogen peroxide (found in small amounts in most over-the-counter whitening toothpaste) and blue covarine.

    However, no toothpaste (charcoal included) can actually whiten your tooth enamel from the inside out.

    Also known as activated carbon, activated charcoal is created in a high heat process without oxygen. It's simply too abrasive for the task, risking damage to tooth enamel, the protective outer covering of the teeth. There are times it seems to really deserve the praise, but what about when it comes to charcoal toothpaste?

    Meet the experts: Tyler Hales, D.D.S., a cosmetic dentist and founder of Hales Aesthetic in Orange County, CA; Johannes Jacobs, D.D.S., founder of Jacobs & Associates Dental in Oakville, Ontario; Nicole Khalife, D.D.S., owner of Lux Smiles NYC

    Advocates say charcoal toothpaste lifts stains and detoxes your mouth, but many dentists aren’t so quick to smile about it.