These problems used to be more common, Hewlett says, when more abrasive toothpastes were more frequently sold in stores than they are today. Most conventional brands you find on drugstore shelves today aren’t likely to be overly hard on your teeth, he says. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. The popularity of charcoal toothpaste may be driven in part by the fact that many consumers are looking for personal care products, including toothpastes, with more natural ingredients. More research is needed on the long-term effects of charcoal toothpaste. A 2017 review warns that dentists should advise their patients to be cautious when using charcoal-based toothpaste due to unproven claims and safety concerns. Point to recent studies that show the damage that charcoal toothpaste can potentially cause to your teeth.

These whitening technologies are the most effective, according to a 2019 study that compared whitening toothpaste and technologies, including activated charcoal. 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. Talk with a dentist first to find out if these options are right for you:Still, unless a toothpaste has the ADA Seal of Acceptance, which certifies that it isn’t abrasive enough to cause harm over a lifetime of using it, it’s difficult for a consumer to tell whether a toothpaste might be too rough on their teeth. Currently, no charcoal toothpaste has earned that seal, according to a search of the ADA’s list of products. When you look for a toothpaste, a natural label may be important to you, but be sure to do your research and make sure you’re getting the clean you need. While many natural toothpaste boast being “fluoride-free,” fluoride is an important ingredient that is actually a natural product and helps protect teeth against cavities. No. Researchers John K. Brooks, DDS, Nasir Bashirelahi, Ph.D., and Mark A Reynolds, DDS, Ph.D., conducted an extensive literature review of clinical studies that focused on the efficacy of charcoal toothpaste. The review included a comprehensive search of the Scopus and MEDLINE databases for clinical studies that focused on the use of charcoal in dental applications. Key points of the literature review include the following: There's a difference between removing surface stains and whitening. Surface stains, also known as extrinsic stains, come from the usual suspects: coffee, red wine, tobacco, and dark colored foods and drinks. They live on the enamel layer and can generally be removed with toothpastes or surface whitening treatments. Deeper, intrinsic stains are dark coloring that comes from within the tooth, sometimes as a result of trauma, weak enamel, certain types of medication, and even overuse of fluoride. Think of these as the underlying color of your teeth; no matter how dedicated you are to whitening the surface, a major lightening of tooth color can only come from bleaching treatments that penetrate below the outer surface of teeth.

In fact, the ADA’s only recommends toothpastes that include fluoride. A 2016 study reported that side effects can happen with unsupervised overingestion in a short period of time, but toxicity only occurred in very high concentrations. Unless you’re sensitive to fluoride or have another reason for avoiding it, you may want to talk with a dentist before ditching it completely.Dantas AAR, et al. (2015). Can a bleaching toothpaste containing blue covarine demonstrate the same bleaching as conventional techniques? An in vitro, randomized and blinded study. Abrasive toothpastes can also pose some additional risks to your teeth, Hewlett says. Normally, the surface of a tooth’s root is covered by the gums. But abrasive toothpastes can contribute to gum recession—meaning gum tissue pulling away from teeth and leaving the surface of the roots exposed. Ebadifar A, et al. (2017). Effect of nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste on microhardness of artificial carious lesions created on extracted teeth. I have concerns about the chronic exposure of the oral mucosa (tissue) to charcoal as the federal government has classified charcoal as a carcinogen. Another potential health concern we uncovered was that one-third of the 50 brands of charcoal toothpaste we investigated included bentonite clay, a mineral that may contain crystalline silica, another recognized carcinogen by the federal government.

Koc Vural U, Bagdatli Z, Yilmaz AE, Yalçın Çakır F, Altundaşar E, Gurgan S. Effects of charcoal-based whitening toothpastes on human enamel in terms of color, surface roughness, and microhardness: an in vitro study. Clin Oral Invest. 2021;25(10):5977-5985. Doi: 10.1007/s00784-021-03903-x Still, charcoal toothpastes are generally abrasive, so they do at least have the potential to scrape off stains from teeth, or to prevent them from forming in the first place, according to the British Dental Journal paper.

XOC Cleansing Charcoal Toothpaste 100ml & Toothbrush

Charcoal toothpaste is too abrasive for everyday use. Using a material that’s too abrasive on your teeth can wear down your enamel. This may make your teeth look more yellow by exposing the dentin, a calcified yellow tissue. It can also make your teeth more sensitive. Al-Maweri SA, et al. (2020). Efficacy of aloe vera mouthwash versus chlorhexidine on plaque and gingivitis: A systematic review. Existing research has found that charcoal toothpastes on the market vary in their levels of abrasiveness, so different products may pose different levels of risk. studies referenced the use of charcoal or soot to brush teeth, but they did not meet recommended inclusion criteria for the review A review in the British Dental Journalfrom early 2019 found that charcoal provides little protection against tooth decay, and there is limited scientific evidence to support the other health claims. In fact, adding powdered charcoal to toothpaste can actually make things worse. "When used too often in people with fillings, it can get into them and become difficult to get out," Dr. Joseph Greenwall-Cohen, co-author of the study from the University of Manchester Dental School, told the BBC. "Charcoal particles can also get caught up in the gums and irritate them."